Aldi changes name of store in 'biblical' move

Prestwich shoppers can say goodbye to ‘Aldi’ (Picture: In Pictures via Getty Images)

There’s a major change afoot for an Aldi store in Greater Manchester, which is getting a permanent new name: Aldeh.

In honour of the Oasis reunion, and the Mancunian accent, the budget retailer changed the name of its Prestwich store, near to Heaton Park where the iconic band is playing its homcoming gigs.

The tribute was only meant to be temporary, but it turns out people were ‘mad fer it’ and it’s now set to stay in place for good.

The sign had fans queuing up outside the supermarket for selfies and a petition was launched by Manchester local Ella Curtis to keep the rebrand, which was backed by Bury MP Christian Wakefield and received over 1,300 signatures. 

‘What started as a nod to a special reunion quickly took on a life of its own. The rebrand resonated with people across Manchester and beyond,’ she wrote. 

It was only meant to be a temporary fixture (Picture: Dave Phillips/PinPep)

‘Photos of the sign went viral because it tapped into something meaningful: pride in where we’re from, and in what this city has given the world. In short, Prestwich got its own Blue Plaque.’

The sign has since been listed on Google Maps as a cultural landmark, alongside a string of five-star reviews. 

One visitor declared it ‘the Stonehenge of a generation’, while one person dubbed it ‘Biblical’ (as Liam Gallagher would say). 

‘Went in for some milk and bread, came out with a renewed sense of Mancunian pride,’ another wrote. 

Aldi previously teased fans on social media about making the sign a permanent fixture. ‘Boss said we also need 10,000 likes and a comment from one of the Gallaghers,’ the Facebook post read. 

Liam Gallagher himself was on board with the name change, sharing a picture of the ‘Aldeh’ sign on his Instagram. 

The rebrand was also supported by Noel’s daughter Anais, who commented on Aldi’s TikTok post in support. And, with the Facebook post receiving over 15,000 likes, Aldi had no choice but to keep the sign. 

Fans were Mad Fer It (Picture: Dave Phillips/PinPep)

Giles Hurley, chief executive officer at Aldi UK, confirmed the move on LinkedIn. ‘Last week, a petition was launched by a local resident calling for us to keep the sign. 

‘So naturally, we took to social media to see what our shoppers thought, turns out… people are mad for it and want the sign to stay.

‘I’m pleased to announce that we’ll be keeping the Aldeh sign as a tribute to Manchester! As you were.’

Julie Ashfield, Aldi’s chief commercial officer, added: ‘We’ve been blown away by the public’s reaction to “Aldeh”. What started as a fun, temporary tribute to Oasis and the local accent has turned into something far bigger.

‘We’ve heard shoppers loud and clear and we’re absolutely delighted to keep the sign up for the long haul.’

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