Waitrose to open in Hawkhurst
Waitrose has reached an agreement with Budgens owner Booker Retail Partners to acquire its shop in Rye Road in Hawkhurst.
All Budgens staff employed at the branch will transfer to Waitrose and will become partners in the John Lewis Partnership.
Waitrose said it expects to create up to 40 new jobs at the branch with recruitment expected to start in the summer.
In the meantime, Budgens will continue to trade until the summer at a date to be confirmed. It will then be handed over to Waitrose with the new shop expected to open in autumn 2016.
Nigel Keen, director of development at Waitrose, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to bring the Waitrose brand to Hawkhurst and we cannot wait to welcome our new customers in the autumn. We look forward to becoming part of the community and making a positive contribution to the area for many years to come.”
