The mayor of Huntingdon was on hand to open Huntingdon’s newest supermarket on Thursday.

The Hunts Post: The opening of Lidl, Huntingdon,The opening of Lidl, Huntingdon, (Image: Archant)

Councillor Bill Hensley, Reverend Andrew Milton and town crier Paul Gough joined scores of shoppers to cut the ribbon and officially open the new branch of Lidl, in Stukeley Road.

The store stretches to almost two acres in size and boasts 91 parking spaces, with about 40 new jobs created by the opening.

The news comes after a long running battle between the retailer and Huntingdonshire District Council, which rejected Lidl’s first application for a supermarket at the site in 2013.

The retailer took the decision to appeal and was subsequently granted permission to open a new store by the Planning Inspectorate.

It’s most recent plan, to erect an illuminated totem sign, measuring almost 20ft in height, was turned down by council planners in October, who described it as ‘excessive and incongruous’.