Waitrose to create 2,000 jobs in 2015
Waitrose has said it expects to create 2,000 jobs in its new and extended shops and new e-commerce grocery depot as it adds almost 230,000 square feet of selling space to its store estate in 2015.
The retailer is opening 14 shops across the UK from spring this year, including seven new supermarkets and seven new little Waitrose convenience shops. This follows the opening of two shops in Egham and London this month. It is also relocating one supermarket and extending two existing branches.
The new supermarkets will be situated in Wollaton, Milngavie, Bagshot, Oxford, King’s Cross, Basingstoke and Guildford. In addition, the retailer is relocating its Horsham store to double the size of the existing supermarket and its branches in Saffron Walden and Bayswater will both undergo major redevelopments.
The retailer is also planning to add a new little Waitrose in Heathfield in East Sussex and a further six convenience shops in new locations in the south east. In addition, it will create new roles in its distribution department to service the expanding number of branches.
Waitrose director of development Nigel Keen said: “Our expansion story continues as we take the brand to more customers and invest in our omni-channel approach.
“Last year many of our new branches received than more than 10 applications for every vacancy – so we’re delighted to be able to create an additional 2,000 roles in 2015.”
