Lidl is not commenting on reports claiming they purchased the closing Belfast Homebase site at Upper Galwally.
Lidl will not talk about opening a new store. The store might be near Forestside Shopping Centre. Reports say Lidl bought the Homebase site, located at Upper Gallwally.
Lidl just opened a new store recently in Carryduff, not far away. They have another store on Montgomery Road too.
The Irish News reported some information, stating that Lidl bought the site from Rathbane Group. Brian McConville and his family own Rathbane. The deal could be worth £7.5 million.
Homebase announced it would close its Upper Galwally store. Stores in Antrim, Belfast, and Craigavon also close this month. Thirty-three stores close in the UK overall.
Homebase closed thirteen stores in January. They fell into administration last November. Back then, Homebase had 133 UK stores and employed 3,600 people. CDS, who owns Range and Wilko, bought Homebase, saving 70 stores and 1,600 jobs.
Homebase announced more store sales later, putting 74 sites up for sale. The deadline for bids was November 29. Sixty-two sites were in England, four were in Scotland, four more were in Northern Ireland, three sites were in the Republic of Ireland, and one site was in Wales.
