Northumberland town secures major anchor retailer for regeneration project

A Northumberland town undergoing regeneration is set to welcome a supermarket giant as part of plans to become a major retail destination.

Advance Northumberland has announced that contracts have been exchanged with supermarket chain Aldi for a 1.5 acre site in the centre of Bedlington, complementing its ongoing regeneration of the town.

The retailer will take a 19,000 sq ft space in the heart of the town centre, and has made a ‘clear commitment’ to start work on the site in 2020.

It is estimated that the combined schemes will create over 180 new jobs along with 70 construction jobs during the construction phase.

Richard Wearmouth, chair of Advance Northumberland commented: “The project is central to the regeneration of Bedlington Town Centre, we are delighted to announce a commitment to the scheme and provide much needed new retail amenities for local people.

“Aldi will provide a resurgence to the town centre retail offer and will drive footfall to support and attract other retailers.

“We have put a significant amount of resources and time into this development, demonstrating our commitment to deliver the best possible outcome for Bedlington.”