Waitrose has announced a new store opening in Hale Barns, Greater Manchester this autumn as part of a major £1bn investment programme. The announcement also includes a second new shop in Cricklewood, London, and several other openings across the UK.
£1bn Investment Programme
The new stores are part of Waitrose's £1 billion investment plan, which includes 28 refurbishments and expansions across multiple formats – convenience, neighbourhood and supermarket. Waitrose has developed a new multi-format store strategy that matches size, layout and ranging to regional demand.
Neighbourhood Concept in Chelmer Village
Waitrose is introducing its neighbourhood concept at its new shop in Chelmer Village, Essex. The 7,000sq ft mid-size stores aim to bridge the gap between a convenience store and a full-line supermarket, offering a fast, easy shopping experience with an intuitive layout and stocking more than 6,500 products.
Other Planned Openings
Two full-line shops are scheduled to open in Hale Barns, Manchester, and Cricklewood, London, in the autumn. Another shop is set to open at Brabazon in Bristol, part of a major new city district. A new shop in Ascot is also due to open in the autumn, designed for quick, easy shopping. Waitrose continues to scale its presence across transport hubs, including four new RELAY shops at Heathrow Terminal 2, alongside existing partnerships with 35 Welcome Break sites and 107 Shell forecourts.
Tina Mitchell, Waitrose Retail Director, said: "As the 'Home of Food Lovers,' our growth is shaped by adapting to how our customers live and shop. Today's consumers no longer rely on a single weekly trip to the supermarket; grocery shopping is an omnichannel experience."
She added: "Backed by our multi-year £1 billion investment plan, our ambition is to be wherever our customers want us. We are looking for high-footfall, ‘right size, right location’ sites nationwide to make it easier than ever for people to experience our uncompromising standards, quality and expert Partner service."
