Our Aldi store on May Road closed for refurbishment on Friday, May 13th - which turned out to be unlucky for me.

I don't know why, but there is something weirdly pleasurable about going to a supermarket for a basic family shop, and somehow, as if by hypnosis, walking out with additional purchases like a 32 piece drill bit set, a bunch of car mats, and a large tin of outdoor wood paint.

Withdrawal has been tough, but the good news is that I can get my fix once again now that the store has reopened.

STORE CLOSED - but not for long...Special Buyers will be counting the days

The refurb of the store is part of Aldi's £600m investment into further improving its stores and services across the UK. These 'Project Fresh' renovations have been ongoing since 2018.

The new layout offers extra space, dedicated to fresh British meat and fish, as well as popular Lacura health and beauty products, award-winning beers, wines and spirits, Mamia babycare products, and a new and improved Food to Go section, offering a choice of fresh salads, sandwiches, and sushi for busy customers.

But who cares? What I'm really interested in are cheap power tools that go straight in the loft and never get used, chalk paint for livening up old wooden furniture, and telescopic tree loppers - to name but a few.

It seems my quest is now even easier than before - the new look Aldi has 1,183sqm of retail space, and a more customer-focused layout allows for the products customers know and love to be found more easily, whilst browsing new ranges.

And you can't say fairer than that.