THE no frills supermarket chain Lidl will open its new store in London Road, Devizes, on January 29.

The 1,400 square metre store is nearing completion next to the Focus DIY store off Hambleton Avenue in London Road. This week, contractors were laying the Tarmac surface of the 97-space car park.

Between ten and 15 jobs will be created at the store, which has received widespread support from residents, councillors and council officers.

The store was granted planning permission by Kennet District Council's regulatory committee in October 2002, but it took nearly a year before contractors moved in to clear the site.

The German food retailer has a policy of not speaking to the media, so the cause of the delay is not known.

The last obstacle to the scheme was removed when SCC Transport on nearby Hopton Industrial Estate agreed to revoke its licence to store potentially dangerous ammonium nitrate fertiliser, which prompted the Health and Safety Executive to withdraw its opposition to any development in the area that would attract large numbers of people.

Lidl's new store is particularly welcome because it is close to the new housing estates off Windsor Drive, Jump Farm and Nursteed Meadows.

The only other retail outlet in the area is the shop at the London Road filling station and the shop at Cannings Hill Garage.

The company's policy of selling a range of own-label products at extremely competitive prices as well as a wide selection of non-food items which change on a weekly basis, has made Lidl stores, of which there are 350 nationwide, very popular.

The stores attract shoppers from a wide area.

Every Monday and Thursday new one-off special offers can be found in the stores.

These vary from electrical items, gardening utensils, household goods, clothing and shoes, children's toys and DIY tools.

Lidl also offers up to ten products in its regular range with discounts of up to 50 per cent as its weekly specials.

The stores are minimal in appearance with few glossy fittings or furniture.