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Shoppers have piled into a brand-new discount supermarket which opened in a Cardiff suburb on Thursday.

The new Lidl – which is believed to be the cut-price German retailer’s biggest store in Wales – opened its doors to a large queue of people.

It has been built on the site of the former Lidl on the corner of Caerphilly Road and Maes-y-Coed Road, with the firm knocking down its existing store earlier this year in order to replace it with the 1,407-square metre building.

Lidl has branded it its “Llanishen store”.

Many locals expressed their opposition to the plans, arguing a larger store would unacceptably increase traffic in what is an already congested area.

'Huge queue' for opening

But there was no sign of discontent on Thursday with about 30 people queuing outside the shop waiting for the 8am opening.

“We had a huge queue which went halfway down the building,” said Lidl’s Wendy Hurst.

“It’s obvious that people are back this morning. We do tend to have a very loyal customer following.”

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Among the first shoppers in the store on Thursday morning were Anne and Peter Matthews, of nearby Heathway.

“We couldn’t wait for it to reopen,” Mrs Matthews said.

The couple were pushing a shopping trolley laden with a tall bathroom cabinet – something Mrs Matthews knew would be on sale and so wanted to make sure she could get her hands on.

“I’m coming back later for the groceries,” she added. “It’s absolutely fabulous inside. There were lots of people here when we arrived – they must have been queueing out of the door.”

'I desperately missed it'

Another local, Julie Nelson, said it was very convenient to have the shop reopen.

“I desperately missed it,” she said. “It’s very nice inside and I’m very pleased to see it back.”

Chris Beal, of King George V Drive, said: “It was worth the wait. It’s a very nice new store, much better than before. I’m very impressed with it.”

Ms Hurst, from Lidl, added that although the new store was significantly bigger than the previous one there was the same amount of stock on the shelves.

As well as the groceries it included keyboards, telescopes, electric pruners, steam mops – and even ‘family toilet seats’ priced at £14.99.

“There is no change in the number of products we are selling,” she added. “It’s just we have now got wider aisles and a better customer experience.”

Meanwhile proposals for a new Lidl in Station Road, Llandaff North, are currently being considered by Cardiff council. The retailer wants to open a store “on stilts” with undercroft parking spaces.