Lidl boss Gordon Rafferty insists he's been blown away by the public's support over the supermarket giant's fight for an Irvine store.
Rafferty, Head of Property for Scotland, is adamant he's never seen anything like it in his career.
And he insists it's proof that the people of the town want a Lidl store at Stancastle.
He spoke out after close to 100 people packed out the Volunteer Rooms last night to discuss North Ayrshire Council's rejection for planning permission at the site.
"We would like to thank Lidl Action Group for inviting us to take part in the public meeting, he said.
"The meeting was extremely well attended with standing room only in the hall. I have been doing this job for many years and have never witnessed this level of support for a proposed store.
"It's clear from the feedback received tonight and since we started consulting the community that people in Irvine want to see a Lidl store built at Stanecastle."
