Waitrose has welcomed the first customers to its brand new store at Chelmer Village Retail Park in Essex. The highly anticipated opening marks the latest milestone in the supermarket’s UK-wide £1 billion investment programme.
The opening of the shop has created 39 new local jobs. The new employees are Partners in the John Lewis Partnership, the UK’s largest employee owned company which Waitrose is part of, along with John Lewis.
At 7,000 sq ft, the new Waitrose Chelmer Village shop has been designed for accessibility and inspiration with more than 6,500 products available. Key highlights of the new store include:
- Waitrose Own Brand Ranges: A curated range of the food lovers’ favourite – Waitrose No.1 – including the £15 Evening Meal Deal – a restaurant-quality main, side, and a starter or dessert for two. Customers can also explore Essential Waitrose – the great value range which doesn’t compromise on quality, taste or animal welfare and Waitrose Duchy Organic – kinder farming, better animal welfare and no pesticides across a wide range of categories.
- Artisan Bakery: A fully stocked, fresh-in-store bakery offering breads, pastries, and sweet treats.
- Expansive Drinks Selection: A curated range of award-winning wines, and in response to demand for lower alcohol drinks, an expanded range of low and no alcohol wines and beers.
- Click & Collect and Delivery: Free on-site parking makes it easy for customers to pick up John Lewis and Waitrose Entertaining orders, while rapid home delivery via Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat is also available.
- The Food Lovers’ Club: My Waitrose members can enjoy a host of benefits including personalised offers, free hot drinks and products and 20% off selected fish counter products.
The store will also donate £12,000 annually to support local charities through Waitrose’s Community Matters programme.
Heading up the new store is Branch Manager and Essex-local, Richard Upton. Richard brings 17 years of experience within the John Lewis Partnership, most recently as Branch Manager of Little Waitrose Cambridge Fitzroy Street. Working alongside Richard, the Waitrose Chelmer Village team includes 39 new local hires and eight experienced Partners.
Richard Upton, Waitrose Chelmer Village Branch Manager, said: “We’ve wanted to expand Waitrose in Essex and bring our fantastic quality products to even more Food Lovers in the area. We are delighted by the excitement around the shop and I want to thank everyone for their patience while we transformed the site. It’s great to open our doors and become part of the community.
“Launching a new store is a career highlight and all the Partners are ready and waiting to deliver the brilliant service we’re known for. We can’t wait to show everyone around their brand new Waitrose.”
To celebrate the launch, the very first customer through the doors at 8am received a bouquet of flowers with customers also welcomed with free tote bags, welcome drinks and tastings.
Joining the ribbon-cutting ceremony was Marie Goldman, MP for Chelmsford, who said: “It is fantastic to welcome Waitrose to Chelmer Village today. This opening represents a significant vote of confidence in the Chelmsford economy, bringing almost 40 new jobs to our community and giving local residents a wonderful new shopping destination. I wish the whole team the very best of luck.”
Local resident, Rebecca, added: “I’m so pleased to have a Waitrose closer to home. The store looks great and everyone has been so friendly. I’ve popped in after the school run to have a look around and get something for dinner. We come to the retail park all the time so it’s a really handy location.”
The new store in Chelmer Village bridges a gap in Waitrose’s Essex estate, sitting between seven established Waitrose supermarkets and three Little Waitrose at Shell sites. The Partnership has confirmed its commitment to Essex, with upgrades planned for Waitrose Southend-on-Sea and Waitrose Upminster, alongside the 90,000 sq ft John Lewis department store in central Chelmsford, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this September.
