Waitrose targets Manchester sites

RETAILER Waitrose is targeting sites in Manchester city centre for the roll-out of its convenience store format.

Waitrose has opened three Little Waitrose convenience stores in as many months at Chester, Alderley Edge and Knutsford, and the firm’s Leeds-based retained agency Barker Proudlove has indicated that it is looking to add at least three further city centre sites in Manchester to accompany its existing unit at Bridge St near the Civil Justice Buildings.

“Manchester is very much a priority for 2011,” said Jonathan Newns, the former King Sturge partner who joined Barker Proudlove last month.

“Ideally, we’re looking to do 3-4 sites on busy footfall routes like Cross St and Piccadilly,” he said. He added that other suburban locations around Lancashire and Cheshire could follow as part of the retailer’s plans to open up to 30 Little Waitrose convenience store sites per year for the next decade.

“But the city centre is where the footfall is and its where the customer catchment is.”

The sites preferably need to have around 5,000 sq ft of space and need to be at least 30ft wide in order to accommodate its format. Newns added that the first Little Waitrose on Bridge St had traded well since it opened last year.

The sites are currently being serviced by distribution centres at Leicestershire and Milton Keynes, although this will change by 2013 when its new 30-acre Chorley Distribution base opens as part of Waitrose’s plans plans to push throughout the north and up to Scotland.

The £35m distribution centre is set to employ around 600 people.