SUPERMARKET chain Lidl says it is considering its options whilst work is carried out to extend its Aberystwyth store.

Rumours circulated online earlier this week suggesting that the supermarket was to move into the former Store 21 store on Rheidol Retail park, which it owns, whilst work is carried out to extend their current supermarket into neighbouring Iceland.

Asked on whether the supermarket would be moving into the former Store 21 store, which sits next to Aberystwyth’s bus station, a spokesperson for Lidl said: “We are currently in the process of considering different options to ensure residents of Aberystwyth continue to have access to our fresh, high quality and affordable produce whilst we carry out our improvement works.

“We look forward to updating the local community further in due course.”

Lidl’s expansion into the Iceland store on Rheidol Retail Park will almost double the size of the store to 1,300 square metres.

It will see new extensions to the front and rear, with work also being carried out on the current car park.

Lidl has previously said that new jobs would be created as part of the scheme.

Lidl owns the whole of the Rheidol Retail Park after agreeing an £8m deal for the freehold last year.

The current Argos store will remain in place as part of the development.

Iceland is moving into the former Poundworld and Peacocks site on Ystwyth Retail Park near Matalan, with the new store set to open in May.

Speaking last year on the plans to extend the Lidl store, a company spokesperson said: “With more customers than ever before, our existing store is no longer able to meet the rightfully high expectations of local customers, or accommodate the full range of Lidl goods.

“As a result, it is necessary to extend the store and by doing so, we anticipate creating a number of new jobs.”