News

New Waitrose Store Gets Green Light

8 April 2010

Planners yesterday gave the green light to the first new-build Waitrose store in Scotland, due to open its doors in early 2011.

Complementing the Byres Road store in Glasgow which opened last November, Waitrose Newton Mearns will be Scotland's largest Waitrose shop to date.

Located off Crookfur Road in Newton Mearns, the store forms the second phase of the new Greenlaw Neighbourhood Centre, created jointly by Gleniffer Estates plc and Walker Group.

The 25,000 sq ft store represents an expansion by Waitrose in Scotland, part of an ambitious UK-wide growth strategy by the employee-owned supermarket, which is part of the John Lewis Partnership.

More than 200 new jobs will be created: as co-owners of the business, all employees are known as Partners and, as such, will enjoy the unique benefits of employee ownership.

This includes a share in profits through its bonus scheme. This year saw existing Partners receive 15% of their annual salary in bonus. Waitrose will also launch its Community Matters Initiative in the Newton Mearns store as soon as it opens, allowing customers to have a say in how £1,000 a month is spent on local charities and projects.

Of vital importance to Waitrose is the provenance and traceability of the food that is on the shelves. Waitrose buyers typically source products from smaller growers and suppliers where possible close to individual Waitrose stores and the buying team will be actively sourcing new suppliers from the west of Scotland and beyond.

Mark Price, Managing Director of Waitrose, said how pleased he was that the store had been granted planning permission:

“Waitrose Newton Mearns represents our first new build store in Scotland and demonstrates our ambition to make our brand more accessible to more Scottish consumers. 

"Since first arriving in Scotland four years ago, we have established a loyal customer base and increased the number of Scottish farmers and producers supplying our shops, both here and throughout the UK. 

“Our Scottish stores offer 300 Scottish lines ranging from household names to small producers such as Henshelwood’s Chutneys from Bute; West, the Glasgow Green-based brewery and Gigha Island Halibut.

“The new store will provide a boost to the local economy through the creation of up to 200 jobs, and allow us to invest further farmers and suppliers in the west of Scotland and beyond.”
  
Councillor Tony Buchanan, economic development convener at East Renfrewshire Council, said:

“Waitrose's arrival in Newton Mearns will be a very welcome addition to the local retail offer. They are undoubtedly a high quality brand and bring enhanced variety and choice to shoppers in East Renfrewshire.  Their first purpose built store and largest presence in Scotland can only be a boost to our local economy.”

Bryan Wilson, Managing Director, Gleniffer Estates PLC said:

"To attract such a high quality brand as Waitrose to Greenlaw Village, Newton Mearns, demonstrates the quality of the location, and we are looking forward to completing the new store within the next 12 months. We are delighted with the support that we have received from East Renfrewshire Council and look forward to working further with the Council in respect of completing other phases and creating a significant number of new jobs.’’

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For further information contact Esther Black or Shaheena Abbas at Pagoda PR Tel: 0131 556 0770
Or
James Armstrong, Property & Development Communications Manager, Waitrose
Tel: 01344 82 4657/07764676880

NOTES TO EDITORS

• Waitrose has 228 branches across the UK combining the convenience of a supermarket with the expertise and service of a specialist shop.
• As part of the John Lewis Partnership, Waitrose is owned by its employees ensuring a high level of commitment and service. The John Lewis Partnership and Waitrose has more than 2,400 Partners in Scotland.
• Waitrose works closely with Scotland Food and Drink and was the first retailer in Scotland to sign up to the Scottish Government’s Retailers Charter, which is designed to promote local sourcing.
• In 2009 Waitrose launched ‘essential Waitrose’, a range of hundreds of everyday shopping items at everyday, affordable prices.
• Greenlaw Village is a £30m retail and leisure scheme spanning a 6.14 acre site located to the east of junction 4 off the M77 – see www.glenifferestates.com for information