First look inside Lidl store at Goldstone Retail Park in Hove

The Argus visited the site at the Goldstone Retail Park this morning, and was met with many of the features that have seen the chain become so successful.

A bakery section was filled to the brim with breads, cakes, pastries and more, while pristine aisles were lined with the usual assortment of fresh food, cans and jars.

A new Lidl supermarket has been opened at the Goldstone Retail Park in Hove

And, in the centre of the store, the heralded "Middle of Lidl" aisle has been installed.

Known for its eclectic mix of products, items in the aisle today included a mini oven, luggage and a tomato planter.

Tracey Gunes, below, visited the new Lidl site within an hour of the grand opening.

Shopper Tracey Gunes outside the new Lidl store at the Goldstone Retail Park in Hove

She said it was "very clean and very big", and plans to make the supermarket her go-to store for weekly shops.

She said: “I probably won’t go to Tesco anymore. It’s good that they’ve filled the building after Toys R Us collapsed."

The supermarket replaces a Toys R Us store which previously occupied the building.

The shop shut in April 2018 after the toy chain collapsed, and the building has been empty ever since.

A first look inside the new Lidl store at the Goldstone Retail Park in Hove

But now the unmistakeable blue and yellow emblem of Lidl sits above the entrance following a renovation of the site to prepare it for its new life as a supermarket.

The store will be open between 8am and 10pm from Monday to Saturday, and from 11am to 5pm on Sundays, with bosses promising to offer "Lidl’s fresh, quality and great value produce to the local community".

Alongside the in-store bakery and Middle of Lidl, it will also provide a sales area covering about 1,727 square metres, customer toilets and parking for cars and bicycles.

Lidl GB’s regional head of property Adam Forsdick said: "We would like to thank all those who have played a part in bringing our new store to Brighton.

A new Lidl supermarket has been opened at the Goldstone Retail Park in Hove

"It is great for us to be able to create more jobs in the area, and we are proud to serve the local community at this time."

Lidl also says Brighton and Hove charities are set to benefit from the opening of the new store.

"Surplus produce and customer donations will be given to organisations who redistribute food to some of the most vulnerable in our communities," a spokesman for the supermarket chain said.

A new Lidl supermarket has been opened at the Goldstone Retail Park in Hove

"This is delivered through Lidl’s Feed it Back scheme, which is run in partnership with Neighbourly and connects Lidl stores up and down the country with local charities, foodbanks, community cafes and kitchens, putting quality food surplus to good use every day."

Coronavirus prevention measures will be in place throughout the store, including hand sanitiser, disinfectant spray and wipes for customers to use on their trolleys and baskets, and protective screens at checkouts.

Face coverings are mandatory in store, floor markings are in place to encourage social distancing and customers are asked to use contactless payment methods where possible.