MADAM,

Few could fail to have been impressed recently on entering the newly refurbished Lidl store in Monmouth. It certainly has the ‘wow’ factor.

As far as good business practice goes Lidl has been a role model from the outset, having consulted residents at length, either at resident meetings in our homes or on site even before submitting plans to build the store in the first place.

During the building of the bakery and later the long-awaited car park extension, a temporary concession was granted for shoppers to park outside the parking bays along the wall of the store; this was not ideal but unavoidable at the time.

Once the car park extension had been opened, thoughtless drivers continued to park right outside the entrance/ exit of the Lidl building with a total lack of consideration for drivers struggling to leave the disabled bays and to staff who were trying to bring trolleys back to the store from the new trolley park. Cones had been put as a hint not to park there but these gradually and mysteriously disappeared, although they have recently been replaced. One could forgive the odd occasion when a severely disabled person arrives to find all disabled bays full but observations have shown that those parked inappropriately were invariably very able. Bearing in mind that anyone parked outside a parking bay in a public car park would be fined or even clamped, it was not unreasonable for customers and staff to complain about the inconsiderate drivers who were clearly causing unnecessary obstructions when there are now ample parking bays available. In consequence, I understand a photograph of cars parked inappropriately was sent to head office.

I have always found Lidl to be very customer-focussed and the store staff very hard-working. If they can respect us as customers, we should surely reciprocate by respecting the staff and one another. Lidl after all have done Monmouth proud.

Angela Hoyle

(Monmouth)