Aldi has launched a massive recruitment drive and is looking to for thousands of new staff to join the team ready for Christmas.
With the festive season now practically within our sights, and most British supermarkets having already unveiled their Christmas food and drink ranges for 2023, Aldi is gearing up and preparing for what is always one of the busiest times for the retail industry by launching yet another massive recruitment drive.
Merely months after opening up dozens of new roles at its Greater Manchester distribution centre, the budget supermarket retailer is now hiring for a whopping 3,000 new staff members, both temporary and permanent, at stores right across the UK.
Aldi is recruiting thousands of new staff across the UK ready for Christmas / Credit: Aldi
The thousands of new staff will be tasked with helping to replenish stock and provide assistance to customers during the Christmas period.
Some of the roles available include Store Assistants, managerial positions, cleaners, and more.
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Starting pay for Store Assistants is industry-leading £11.40 per hour nationally, and £12.85 per hour inside the M25.
Aldi also remains the only supermarket in the UK to offer paid breaks too.
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3,000 store roles and 1,500 distribution centre roles are up for grabs / Credit: Aldi
On top of the 3,000 new store staff, Aldi is also recruiting across its Regional Distribution Centres in the UK too – including at its Greater Manchester site in Bolton – with around 1,500 roles available, including Warehouse Selectors, Logistics Assistants, and Warehouse Cleaners.
Aldi currently has over 990 UK stores and employs around 36,000 people, but the supermarket has been open about its long-term commitment to have 1,500 branches nationwide to “meet growing demand”.
This latest festive recruitment push forms part of Aldi’s nationwide expansion, with the goal of opening an average of one new store a week, every week, before Christmas is here.
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The festive recruitment push forms part of Aldi’s nationwide expansion / Credit: Aldi
“It’s never been more important to us to make affordable high-quality food accessible to all, especially at Christmas,” Aldi’s Recruitment Director, Kelly Stokes, said as the Christmas recruitment drive launches nationwide.
“That’s why we’re looking forward to welcoming thousands of new colleagues to our stores and Regional Distribution Centres over the coming months.
“Our colleagues play such a vital role in keeping our shelves stocked throughout the year, which is why we will once again be keeping our stores closed on Boxing Day as a way to say thank you for their continued hard work.”
More information about all the roles Aldi is currently hiring for is available on the supermarket’s website, and you also can apply here.
Featured Image – Aldi
News
Government grants local councils power to make pavement parking illegal in their region
Emily Sergeant
New powers are being made available to local leaders across England to introduce pavement parking restrictions in their area.
Blocked pavements can create serious barriers for parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users, blind and partially sighted people, and older people, and campaigners say this limits individuals’ independence and makes everyday journeys harder and less safe for them.
So, in a bid to help keep pavements clear and accessible for everyone who uses them, the Government has introduced new local powers.
Following a public consultation – which first took place all the way back in 2020 – the Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed that local leaders will be given ‘new and improved’ legal powers to make it easier to restrict pavement parking across wider areas, rather than relying on the previous approach where action was often limited to individual streets.
The Government has granted local councils the power to make pavement parking illegal in their region / Credit: Samuel Regan-Asante (via Unsplash)
The Government says local leaders ‘know their streets best’ and are therefore best placed to respond to local needs.
Under this new approach, local leaders will be able to decide to take action on pavement parking in their area, while still getting to retain flexibility where they deem pavement parking may still be acceptable.
“Clear pavements are essential for people to move around safely and independently, whether that’s a parent with a pushchair, someone using a wheelchair, or a blind or partially sighted person,” commented Local Transport Minister, Lilian Greenwood.
Blocked pavements can make it harder for parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users and blind or partially sighted people to get around.
That’s why we’re giving local authorities stronger powers to tackle pavement parking and keep pavements accessible. https://t.co/PIqkIw1LF2
“That’s why we’re giving local authorities the power to crack down on problem pavement parking, allowing more people to travel easily and safely and get to where they need to go.”
By putting decision-making closer to communities, the Government says this approach supports safer and more inclusive streets that ‘work better for everyone’.
The DfT will set out guidance to help local authorities use these powers in a ‘proportionate’ and ‘locally appropriate’ way later in 2026.
Featured Image – Sado Lavren (via Unsplash)
News
Ian McKellen to play legendary Salford artist L.S. Lowry in new BBC documentary
Emily Sergeant
Sir Ian McKellen has landed himself an exciting new role, and he’s set to play one of Greater Manchester’s most iconic sons.
One of the most celebrated British actors of all time playing one of the most celebrated British artists of all time? It was meant to be. That’s right, Ian McKellen is set to portray Salford’s very-own L.S. Lowry in the new BBC documentary, L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes, produced by award-winning Wall to Wall Mediaand coming soon to BBC Two and iPlayer.
Marking 50 years since Lowry’s death, this immersive documentary film will focus on the touching and often surprising exchange between the enigmatic artist and Angela Barratt – a young fan whose interviews capture Lowry in his most intimate and reflective moments.
Recorded in the artist’s own living room, these tapes reveal Lowry’s authentic voice, which Burnley-born actor McKellen will lip-sync on screen.
Across these candid conversations, Lowry traces his journey from childhood right through to his final days, sharing the memories and experiences that shaped him both as an artist, and crucially, as a man.
Alongside this deeply personal account, the documentary is also set to explore the dramatic transformation of Salford and Greater Manchester, which Lowry, of course, depicted so prolifically in his work.
“To give play to Lowry through his own voice has been a unique privilege,” commented Ian McKellen as his casting was announced this week.
“These tapes reveal an intimate insight into the artist’s thoughts – his ambitions, regrets and his humour. Anyone like me, who admires his paintings and drawings, will be intrigued and delighted that the artist is brought back to life through his own words.”
Mark Bell, who is the Commissioning Editor at BBC Arts, added: “Marking 50 years since Lowry’s death, and celebrating Arena’s own 50-year tradition of ambitious, intelligent storytelling, this film comes at a very special moment.
“The inspired casting of Ian McKellen and Annabel Smith feels like life imitating art in the best possible way. But this film isn’t just about the life of the artist, it also provides an insight into the realities of urban life in Greater Manchester in the 20th century.”
L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes is directed by James Kent, following his recent Emmy win for Lost Boys and Fairies, with executive producer Morgana Pugh, and producer Hannah Mirsky.
Further broadcast details will be announced in due course.
Featured Image – BBC / Wall to Wall Media Ltd / Connor Harris
Emily Sergeant -
10th October 2023 
