Aldi, which already has more than 960 stores across the UK, is looking for a freehold town-centre or edge-of-town site that is around 1.5 acres.
The site should be able to accommodate a 20,000 sq ft store with around 100 parking spaces. Ideally the location will be near a main road with good visibility and access.
In order to find the right spot, the UK’s fifth-largest supermarket is offering a finder’s fee to anybody who can recommend a suitable location.
The company says the cash incentive, which is available to anybody, including general members of the public, will be either 1.5 per cent of the freehold price of the site found, or 10 per cent of the first year’s rent for a leasehold location.
It comes after the budget retailer’s plans to open a branch on Eridge Road were dashed last year by rival Lidl.
The plot of land near to the Esso garage was set to be its second store in Tunbridge Wells after the German discounter opened its first supermarket in the town in November 2019 on the former Toys R Us site in the Longfield Road industrial estate.
But as the Times reported in December last year, Aldi was forced to sell the land to Beechcroft Developments, a retirement living company, after Lidl opened their first Tunbridge Wells branch on a site it now shares with Homebase in Linden Park – about 100 yards away.
Beechcroft Developments has now applied to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council for planning permission to build 40 retirement apartments.
However, George Brown, National Property Director at Aldi UK, said they were still in the hunt for a new store location in Tunbridge Wells.
He said: “By opening more Aldi stores, we can provide affordable, high-quality food to even more people.
“But despite our growth in recent years, some people still don’t have access to a local store, which is why it is our mission to continue on with our ambitious plans and change that.
“Our finder’s fee is available to anyone who can find Aldi an appropriate site, so we’d encourage people to share any suitable suggestions and get in touch.”
