Fancy a pint … at Lidl? The bizarre battle over Northern Ireland’s stifled nightlife

The country’s licensing laws mean the supermarket has opened a pub so it can sell alcohol, while campaigners are fighting to help other venues open and get people dancing At first sight The Middle Ale in Dundonald, Northern Ireland looks just like any other pub. There is a big TV, an array of seating, and beer pumps behind the bar.

Look a little closer, however, and you might ask why there are packets of fajitas and gravy granules on the walls. That’s because the pub belongs to the supermarket chain Lidl, but the Middle Ale (like “middle aisle”, get it? ) isn’t just a wacky marketing stunt. Northern Ireland has ultra-strict laws around licences to sell alcohol, whether as a shop,…