Waitrose has unveiled its first new convenience store in six years, located in Hampton Hill, South West London, marking a significant milestone in its expansion plan.
The store is the 47th under the Waitrose brand, featuring areas dedicated to ‘dinner for tonight’ and a selection of beers and wines. This opening is part of a broader strategy involving a £1 billion investment to launch up to 100 new convenience stores over the next five years. Such initiatives aim to provide stores ‘tailored to the local area’ and designed with customer shopping preferences in mind, according to James Bailey, Waitrose’s executive director.
This latest addition boasts a fresh bakery section offering an array of products such as bread, cookies and croissants, alongside a hot drink station serving beverages from the Nero Roasting Company including americanos, lattes, cappuccinos, and tea. A standout feature of the Hampton Hill store is the introduction of an on-demand hatch, facilitating easier collections by delivery services like Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat. This is a testament to Waitrose’s commitment to modernising its service offerings.
In a recent refurbishment, Waitrose reopened its Finchley Road store, which was amongst the first to undergo significant updates as part of the supermarket’s expansion efforts. At the Finchley Road location, retail director Tina Mitchell assured that although self-service checkouts were installed, staffed tills remain integral to their service model. ‘Manned tills are still really important to us,’ Mitchell stated, highlighting the retailer’s dedication to flexible customer service options.
Moreover, Waitrose is expanding its reach through a partnership with Welcome Break. Stores are set to open on the A14 in Spaldwick and the M1 in Rotherham soon, with further expansions on the horizon. This partnership underlines Waitrose’s strategic push to establish itself more prominently across various regions, including the operation of over 100 Shell forecourt shops across the UK, with further locations anticipated in 2025.
Waitrose’s new convenience store in Hampton Hill signifies a dynamic phase of growth and modernisation for the retailer, reflecting its ambition to adapt to contemporary shopping habits while expanding its geographical footprint.
