Waitrose accelerates Midlands expansion

THE first of two new Waitrose supermarkets in the West Midlands is due to open its doors to customers today as part of its campaign to build more smaller, town centre sites.

The unit, at The Parade in Sutton Coldfield, has 3,685 sq ft of ground floor sales space and an additional 1,686 sq ft of first floor space and is located in an area of high foot fall.

Waitrose, the food retail arm of John Lewis which is opening a new department store in Birmingham, has signed a 15-year lease on the unit opposite the town’s former Woolworths store, due to open as a H&M in April.

The landlord is a client of Orchard Street Investment Management for whom DTZ acted.

This store, together with a second due to open in Shrewsbury on May 27 at the top of Pride Hill, the Shropshire town’s main pedestrianised shopping area, will create a total of 80 new jobs.

The Shrewsbury operation will be one of only two supermarkets in the town’s main central shopping area.

It will combine two units, previously occupied by the Post Office and Burger King and has a ground floor sales space of 3,629 sq ft and a 3,057 sq ft basement.

Landlord Carlton Holdings, via Regal Asset Management, has agreed a new 15-year lease with Waitrose. Jackson Criss acted for Carlton.

Consultancy King Sturge was recruited by the supermarket chain last summer to locate the new sites as part of Waitrose’s plan to expand its portfolio of smaller, town centre stores of up to 7,000 sq ft.

A third unit located by King Sturge is due to open in Cardiff on April 28.

Retail partner Tom Keys-Toyer said: “The Sutton Coldfield and Shrewsbury sites provide it with highly competitive pitches and a strong footing in key West Midlands towns.”