DISCOUNT supermarket giant Lidl has just revealed its wish list of locations for potential new stores in the country – but Ross-on-Wye has been left out.

The discounter plans to open hundreds of new stores across the country creating thousands of new jobs but since the Government inspector rejected the appeal for a store in Ross, the retailer has walked away from the town.

Lidl first applied to build a new supermarket in the town in 2018. That application was subsequently withdrawn, with a new amended application being submitted for the same site a year later.

But planning officers said the scheme would be detrimental to the long-term protection of the historic town centre, and that Lidl failed to demonstrate why they could not use land or buildings within the defined central shopping and commercial area in Ross.

Planning permission was originally rejected by Herefordshire Council despite huge public support.

Lidl appealed the decision at the time but the Inspector, Philip Major, rejected the appeal in 2021 saying the diversion of trade from the town centre would likely impact on more specialist shops in the town.

In July last year the Wolf Business Park, which had largely been developed by Wolf Tools in the 1960s to provide warehousing, offices, and showrooms for the company, was put up for sale.