Aldi signs have appeared next to a Watford town centre unit where a “national food retailer” will be opening this summer.

According to a brochure for the space that Pryzm used to occupy in The Parade, shared in January, a supermarket is lined up to take over the former Iceland and Laser Planet units of the same building (facing onto Albert Road South).

It did not specify which business it will be but stated that the retailer is “currently undertaking an extensive fit-out programme” and will be trading from “summer 2025”.

(Image: Stephen Danzig) New signs that have been spotted at the edge of the car park, which was also set for an upgrade, suggest Aldi may be moving in.

Hoarding blocking it off from Albert Road South states that access to it is for “Aldi contractors only”.

Another sign on a fence warning people to “keep out” of the construction site has an Aldi logo in the top left corner.

Aldi signs by the car park. (Image: Stephen Danzig)

It comes after the building’s owner, Watford The Parade (Gibraltar) Ltd, was granted permission to knock through the walls separating the vacant Iceland and Laser Planet units and create a new rear entrance from the car park in December, 2024.

Separate plans to upgrade and redesign the car park at the back were approved in October 2024. It appears this work is now underway.

According to the applicant the existing the existing carpark had “become dilapidated over time due to the constant usage” and was “in need of repair and update”.

Iceland, The Parade, Watford, when it first closed. (Image: Stephen Danzig)

Approved changes included resurfacing and reconfiguration as well as new lighting, marked footways, a zebra crossing by the entrance.

It would also result in the number of available spots dropping from 80 to 64, while creating three accessible spaces and three family spaces.

Iceland permanently closed in October 2023, while Laser Planet shut down in July 2024.

It remains unclear what will happen with the former Pryzm unit, which remains up for sale with a £4m guide price.

Aldi already has one Watford location, at Century Retail Park in Dalton Way.