AN ANNUAL community event could be under threat if a proposal for a new budget supermarket gets the go ahead.

Supermarket chain Lidl is set to hold a public consultation ahead of applying for planning permission to build a store on land at Saunders Field, Tadley.

However, the proposed site is the current location for the popular Tadley Treacle Fair, which is organised by the Loddon Valley Lions Club.

The event started in the late 1980s has become a key event in Tadley’s summer calendar.

If the proposal for the supermarket goes ahead, the club has said it may put the event in doubt.

John Goodchild, from the Loddon Valley Lions Club, said: “The future viability of the event will depend on suitable access arrangements to the site once the store has been built, assuming development does go ahead.

“While there will be enough room for the Treacle Fair, it remains to be seen whether there will be sufficient room left for car parking. It is not clear from the information currently available to us exactly how much of the land is to be purchased by Lidl or what plans they may have for development of that part of the land which they may subsequently own that will not be occupied by their store.”

Mr Goodchild added that this year’s event, which will be held on June 2, may be the last on the current site.

A public consultation on the Lidl proposal will be held at the Tadley Community Centre, in Newchurch Road, on February 20 from 10am to 7pm.

Lidl UK’s regional head of property, James Mitchell, said: “We are extremely excited about the prospect of opening a Lidl in Tadley and serving our fresh, quality and incredibly good value produce which shoppers across the country have come to love.

“We look forward to welcoming anyone along to the public consultation day and showcasing our plans whilst answering any questions.”

If given the green light, the store would create up to 40 jobs and the plan is for the new location to have a car park with 129 spaces.

For more details on the proposal, go to tadley.lidl.co.uk.