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The owner of Stoke-on-Trent's biggest shopping centre is attempting to persuade supermarket-giant Lidl to open a branch inside the building.

Bosses at intu Potteries have drawn up proposals for a new store on the mezzanine level - and a dedicated car park - in an attempt to get Lidl to open at the Hanley shopping centre.

that intu Potteries has been trying to woo Lidl for the past 13 years and even hosted a visit for representatives from Lidl in July.

But the supermarket has so far rejected the idea due to a number of issues including low visitor numbers and Intu's administration.

Intu Potteries submitted a letter to Stoke-on-Trent City Council in objection to Lidl's plans to open a store just a few miles away on Cobridge Road in the hope the discount chain would reconsider the offer.

In the letter, intu Potteries planning director Laurence Holmes said: "The opportunity being presented is financially viable and the delivery of a new store by Lidl would not be impacted by the administration process currently underway.

"The ability to meet Lidl’s requirements in a reasonable time-frame is borne out by the agreement of a rolling break option with Debenhams to secure vacant possession of the floorspace from January 2021. Thereafter, the extent of works required to enable Lidl to trade a store could be completed within 12 months.

"It is not accepted that the level of footfall cited would impede the ability of a limited assortment discounter to trade viably. While a footfall of approximately 10 million is significant, discount foodstores – by their nature – are significant generators of shopping trips and will often anchor the wider retail offer of a centre.