Lidl’s new Dover store starts trading next month.

The branch, at White Cliffs Business Park at Honeywood Parkway, Whitfield, will open its doors with a ribbon cutting from 8am on Thursday, December 7.

The new supermarket forms part of the German discount chain’s ongoing expansion and regeneration in the UK, which means the opening of 50 to 60 new branches a year.

This branch, with a 1,690 square metre sales area, has created around 40 new jobs and will include an in-store bakery, longer-style tills with dual packing and customer toilets with a baby changing table.

The store will also provide more than 150 car parking spaces plus separate provision for bicycles and motorbikes.

The Whitfield store will have a fully glass fronted façade to maximises natural daylight entering the building, while sensor controlled exterior blinds automatically operate to control sun heat.

The electrical lighting system is made up entirely of LED fittings which, compared with traditional lighting, are over 50% more energy efficient.

Paul Mason,Lidl UK’s regional head of property, said: “We would like to thank all those who have played a part in bringing this new Lidl store to Dover.

"It is great for us to be able to create more jobs and investment opportunities in the area.”

This is the second time Dover has hosted a Lidl.

A branch was previously at the former MFI store in the town’s Maison Dieu Road.

More than 5.5 million British shoppers now use Lidl each week, 500,000 more weekly than in 2014.

The supermarket is the fastest growing in the UK with sales up 15.1% year on year and a market share high of 5.1%.