STORE wars are set to break out in Bingley with the eyesore former Bradford & Bingley site being sold to German supermarket giant Lidl.

Sainsbury’s, which bought the prominent site off Main Street in 2010 and paid for it to be cleared, put it on the market five years later after ditching its own plans to open a superstore there.

Since then, it has been shuttered up behind wooden boards as Sainsbury's came under increasing pressure to do something with it.

The new Lidl store will now battle for shoppers against German rival Aldi, which opened a store in the town in 2015, and the Co-op, which has a longer-established store at the Five Rise Shopping Centre.

Howard Martin, honorary president of Bingley Chamber of Trade and Commerce, welcomed Lidl's purchase of the site, saying a new store will attract more people to the town.

He said: “I am very pleased that it is finally happening there and the site is going to be re-developed. It gives people another reason to come around the town.

“We were almost left with our own version of the Westfield site in Bradford, a hole in the ground. It went on for a long time.

“This is the only other possible site within Bingley that there could be a supermarket built.

“We are keeping our fingers crossed that Lidl will be able to start work on the site as soon as possible.

“I think competition is extremely good.”

Shipley MP Philip Davies, whose constituency includes Bingley, has been a fierce critic of Sainsbury's handling of the site.

He said: “I am delighted that something is going to happen. Like most people in Bingley, I had become sick to the back teeth that nothing was happening.

“The sooner we can get the site open the better. It will create jobs and bring more footfall to the town.

“I want Lidl to get on with it as soon as possible. It would be nice for it to be open before the end of the year.

“I don’t think there are too many supermarkets in Bingley - competition is always a good thing.

“The only impact it will have will be more people shopping in Bingley.”

Councillor David Hestletine (Con, Bingley) said: "The site has been looking empty and forlorn for too long. I give a cautious welcome to the news and we will see when the diggers start.”

Cllr Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s executive member for regeneration, said: “We’re pleased to hear that plans for a new store are now being put into motion after hearing Sainsburys has sold its prime Bingley town centre site to Lidl.

“We’ve been in discussion with Lidl for some time now and welcome the news which will provide a great boost and bring more visitors to the town.”

Lidl was unable to say yet when it will open its Bingley store but it confirmed plans would be lodged later this year.

Its spokesman said: “We are pleased to confirm that Lidl UK has acquired the Bingley site, representing a significant investment and a commitment to create up to 40 new jobs.

“We’ve seen incredible demand for Lidl stores across the country, and look forward to sharing further details on the new store when we submit our planning application later in the year.”

The Co-op did not want to comment about Lidl's move to Bingley and Aldi did not respond to a request for a comment.

The distinctive tiered former B&B headquarters, which previously stood at the site, was constructed in 1975 with its architects inspired by the nearby Five Rise Locks on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

But the building's appearance fiercely divided opinion and even led to Prince Charles once describe it as a carbuncle.

The B&B eventually built a new headquarters in Crossflatts.

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