Traders in Holbeach discuss the impact of town’s new Aldi store

Town traders say they have been boosted by the grand opening of a new supermarket.

Aldi opened in Fleet Street, Holbeach at the end of January - with a special ceremony featuring Olympic athlete Morgan Bolding — and feedback has been good in the month or so since.

Traders have noticed the area is busier as they benefit from Aldi’s footfall — and feel it is attracting more people to the far end of the town.

One person who agrees is Caroline Summerfield, who has owned The Flower Basket on Fleet Street for 31 years.

She said: “I think it is good for our end of town, personally, it brings more customers to our end of town as we are very close to Aldi.

“I feel more people are walking by which is good and they stop and look in the window displays.

“There has definitely been more traffic and footfall at this end of town and I think it will bring new customers who want to come to Aldi.”

Mrs Summerfield has seen a ‘huge amount of change’ across three decades but understands that supermarkets will likely offer similar products at a cheaper price.

She said: “Of course people will be able to buy flowers more cheaply at Aldi.

“But we like to think we do something a bit more special such as catering to funerals and weddings.

“I would hope we offer a little better quality and of course our customer service.”

Tesco and Co-op has operated in Holbeach for more than a decade.

However since the new Aldi store in town customers and business owners alike are pleased that there is now a choice of where to shop.

Poppy Gilling opened her salon Nails By Poppy some five years ago in Merchant Mews and highlights the importance of affordability that Aldi offers along with parking access.

The 24-year-old said: “I think Aldi has provided a lot better choice and selection for people who can't afford Tesco.

“Tesco has been around for years and the prices in Aldi are more affordable.

“There is better parking at Aldi - it is a little town and if we want to bring people in we need better parking.”

Miss Gilling also uses Aldi for personal items as well as business and added that it ‘is definitely somewhere I would go to shop’.

Aldi has spent months transforming a former South Holland District Council depot site into a plush new store - which created more than 30 jobs.

Its famous middle aisle and value for money helps all generations with their ‘big shop’ during an ongoing cost of living crisis.

April Moon is the owner of April Moon Bridal on Park Road and affordable prices play a big part in why she feels Aldi is popular.

She said: “I hate to moan about the cost of living crisis but I pop into Tesco and pay a lot for a few things.

“You get a lot more for your money in Aldi and although it can be a bit and miss, you know that.

“In the past I have found something I like in Tesco but then find it has been discontinued.”

Although the businesswoman will continue to shop at both stores, as a vegetarian she also feels Aldi has more on offer.

She added: “There is a lot of choice and I’ve been quite a few times to Aldi

“I will continue to shop at both Tesco and Aldi but I do find Tesco very expensive.

“There seems to be lots of space in Aldi to move around - it feels like there are wider aisles and it is nice to have some space to shop.”

The traditional High Street has struggled and changed in recent years.

In towns such as Spalding a Business Improvement District has been formed to bring positive change to independent businesses.

Chris Back is the owner of Home and Antiques Jewellery Shop which he has run for six years on Holbeach High Street.

He feels it is too early to predict how Aldi will impact the area.

Mr Back said: “It is hard to say if the new Aldi has done us any good yet but I think it is definitely good for the town.

“It is a nice change and I think most people who come in have been positive about it.

“It is good for a lot of older people and to get them out.”

Having had an interest in antiques since he was 15, Mr Back has seen his business ‘get busier and busier, stronger and stronger which is great after six years.’

The need for smaller businesses, community shops and bookstores to have ‘resilience’ on the high street has been highlighted in a recent report.

The Booksellers Association (BA) showed that 45 independent bookshops opened in the UK and Ireland last year - compared to 51 in 2023.

Bookshop owners often diversify to attract customers by adding a coffee shop and gifts.

Charles Baker, chairman of The Holbeach Bookshop on Park Road welcomes the new Aldi store as a way to generate custom for other businesses.

He said: “The new Aldi in Holbeach is most certainly a welcome addition to Holbeach's shopping offer as it attracts new customers into the town and has increased footfall generally.

“Holbeach has felt busier in the last few weeks.

“It is a little early to measure if Aldi's presence has directly affected sales in the Holbeach Bookshop, however it is true to say that the Holbeach Bookshop's sales have steadily improved over the last year.”

Mr Baker hopes that the news store will raise Holbeach's profile as a shopping destination and hence will spread the positive benefits across the town.”

A nearby villager who wishes to remain anonymous, feels that the competitors Tesco and Co-op will take notice of the impact from having a new Aldi in town.

She said: “I have been a resident of Holbeach St Matthew for almost two years and used to travel once a week to Spalding to go to Aldi and Lidl there - but now I don’t need to, although I still may from time to time.

“The Co-op in Holbeach is very expensive and Tesco always had their normal and finest range but not the cheap stuff.

“They have suddenly got the cheap stuff in so Tesco have definitely taken note of Aldi.

“I still go into Tesco occasionally for their reduced price and I find it is a bit quieter to shop there.”

She feels that Tesco has had a ‘captive market for a long time’ and sees the benefit of having more choice and notes that the staff are ‘lovely at both Tesco and Aldi’.

The anonymous shopper added: “The brand new Aldi has lovely wide aisles and is very clean and the staff are all very polite.”

The opening of the new store has brought an employment boost to the town which is another positive.

An Aldi spokesperson said: “We know that whenever we open a new store, it has a positive impact on the community it serves and the local businesses in its neighbourhood.

“Our Holbeach store has been no different and, as well as creating around 30 new jobs, is already bringing quality, affordable groceries to people across the town.”

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