Waitrose is set to open its first new supermarket in eight years in Cricklewood, north London, as the upmarket grocer continues to expand its store estate under a £1bn investment plan.
The store will open on Thursday, followed by another supermarket in Hale Barns, Greater Manchester, next month. Waitrose also plans to open four smaller stores next year, including a supermarket in Oakham, Rutland, and convenience stores in Bedminster, Bristol; Chalk Farm, London; and Springstead Village, Cambridge.
In 2024, Waitrose announced plans to open up to four large supermarkets and 100 convenience stores over five years, alongside a programme of refurbishments across its estate. The investment was expected to bring new features to stores, including meat, fish and sushi counters, on-site bakeries and fine wine sections.
However, the retailer has since dropped these specific opening targets, saying it will focus on securing the right locations for new stores rather than working towards fixed numbers.
Waitrose operates more than 300 supermarkets across the UK.
Tina Mitchell, the retail director at Waitrose, said: “Our supermarkets provide the ultimate showcase for everything that sets Waitrose apart – from our unmatched quality and industry-leading welfare standards to the expert service of our partners.”
This year the company – led since January by the former Tesco executive Tom Denyard - also plans to refurbish 29 stores.
After a difficult period, when sales were hit by IT problems which led to gaps on shelves, Waitrose is holding market share, according to the latest figures from market analysts Worldpanel by Numerator. However, the chain is coming under pressure from Marks & Spencer, which now has a higher share of the grocery market, under some measures, after opening a number of new food-led outlets.