Pints might be on your shopping list soon.
Ever been halfway through your food shop and thought 'I really fancy a beer right now'?
If so, your prayers have been answered. Budget supermarket chain Lidl has just won its legal battle to open its first ever in-store pub in Northern Ireland, after a challenge to the proposal was rejected.
They originally secured planning permission for a taproom on their Dundonald site, just outside Belfast, in 2020. Fellow traders Philip Russell Ltd appealed against this, stating that Lidl had failed to show there are inadequate licensed premises near the site.
However, this was recently denied by Mr Justice Colton, and the supermarket's plans are full steam ahead - so soon you'll be able to spice up your weekly shopping trip with a tipple or two. They're planning to invest at least £410,000 into the project, in an area that has seen two pubs close in previous years.
So if you're looking for somewhere near Belfast to secure cheap baked goods, a quirky middle aisle find and a freshly poured pint, we might have found just the place.
For more unusual finds, check out our guide to quirky bars in Belfast.
