Waitrose to open fifth Scottish store
Waitrose has been granted planning permission for its fifth store in Scotland.
The new store in Stirling, which is expected to open in early 2013, will be built on the former Burghmuir Industrial Estate on the edge of the town centre as part of a regeneration of the site by Stirling Development Agency.
The 25,000 sq ft store represents a multi-million pound investment by Waitrose in Stirling and is part of the supermarket’s plan to open more stores in Scotland. The opening of the store will create around 180 jobs.
Commenting on the granting of planning permission, Nigel Keen, director of development for Waitrose, said: “Waitrose Stirling represents our second new build store in Scotland and demonstrates our ambition to make our brand more accessible to more Scottish consumers.
“Since first arriving in Scotland in 2006, 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 now offer more than 400 Scottish lines ranging from household names to small producers supplying just one or two of our branches.”
Waitrose has applied for planning permission for a sixth store in Scotland in Helensburgh which is due to be determined by Argyll & Bute’s planning committee on 21 February 2012.
Councillor Scott Farmer, Portfolio for Economy, Tourism and Finance and Director from the SDA said: “The Waitrose store forms an important anchor for the regeneration plans for Burghmuir and will help bringing new jobs and greater choice in quality food shopping to Stirling. It will help to deliver the Council’s economic priorities and represents a resounding vote of confidence from a leading retailer in the dynamism of the Stirling economy.”
