Lidl has launched its first ‘metropolitan’ store format as the grocer continues its push into major cities.

The discounter’s first-floor design in Bermondsey, south east London, has been “specifically created for London and other inner city areas” where space is harder to come by.

Instead of the selling space being on the ground floor, Lidl has built upwards, allowing it to increase the number of the customer car parking bays at street level from 47 to 77.

Travelators lead up to the first-floor supermarket, which has doubled in square footage compared to the store it demolished on the same site.

The design of the shop itself is in-keeping with the retailer’s ‘Lidl of the future’ model, featuring a glass frontage, wider aisles, longer checkouts, self-service tills, toilets and baby changing facilities.