New Dudley Aldi: Supermarket taking shape at former King Arthur pub site

The eagerly anticipated new Aldi supermarket will open on the former site of the King Arthur Pub in Birmingham New Road.

As well as providing nearby residents with a new supermarket, Aldi is set to employ 35 new members of staff and six deputy managers at the store, with vacancies still available.

It comes as part of a wider drive by Aldi to increase its presence in the Black Country and Staffordshire, with a total of 140 new jobs expected to be created by the opening of 15 stores.

To ensure that this new store makes a positive contribution to local employment opportunities, Dudley MP Ian Austin organised a jobs fair on Saturday so that local people could find out more about the roles available.

Local residents were invited to discuss the employment opportunities, and were able to ask any questions of the Aldi bosses at the event hosted at Priory Primary School on Limes Road.

Last year Mr Austin consulted with local residents over Aldi's plans, finding that eight in 10 were in support, with 87 per cent saying it would help tackle unemployment in the area.

The MP then organised the jobs fair and wrote to residents encouraging them to come so that as many jobs as possible are filled by local people.

Mr Austin said: "One of the reasons local people supported Aldi's plan for a new supermarket was because it would create over 40 new jobs in an area of high unemployment.

"I would like to thank Aldi, local councillors Ken Finch, Margaret Aston and Alan Finch who have backed these plans to benefit local residents."

Indeed Castle and Priory Labour councillor Ken Finch was in attendance at the fair and left feeling optimistic. It saw over 100 residents turn up interested in the prospects provided by the new store, and Councillor Finch said he felt that their questions were listened to and answered by Aldi's representatives.

"The feedback that we got from Aldi is that there will be jobs for local people, with at least 50 per cent of those 35 jobs going to people from the area," he said. "When the application was approved, that was a condition that we made as councillors, that it makes a difference to local employment opportunities.

"We do have a problem with unemployment on the estate, and I am sure there are lots of people there who would welcome this opportunity to be taken off the dole."

Councillor Finch also highlighted how badly a bigger supermarket is needed in the area, and how they would like to see the store get involved with local community fund-raising drives

"For people living there they have to travel into Dudley to do their big grocery shop. There isn't really anywhere else around there," he said. "We are also hoping that the store will work with the new community centre across the road on some local charity projects."

Details of how to apply for the roles are available at www.aldirecruitment.co.uk