Upmarket supermarket Waitrose is to open a new smaller format store Little Waitrose in Victoria later this year, it has been announced today.
Opening in the Summer in Westminster‘s City Hall, the new 3,000 sq ft store will create up to 50 new jobs and follows the opening of a Little Waitrose in London‘s Vauxhall last week.
In the year ahead, Waitrose is set to open a further eight stores as it seeks to capitalise on the burgeoning convenience market.
Commenting on the move, Nigel Keen, Waitrose Director of Development, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to add the Waitrose brand to a thriving retail destination and underlines our ambition to continue improving our accessibility to those in the capital who wish to shop with us.”
Property firm Land Securities announced the opening, which follows its successful letting of the ground and first floor of Kings Gate and the Royal Quarter Café at Wellington House to Jamie Oliver last month.
Land Securities is working to develop Victoria into a retail destination in a bid to encourage commuters and workers to shop and socialise in the area, boosting footfall.
“We are excited to welcome little Waitrose to Victoria where it will be a great addition to the evolving retail offer in the area,” explained Land Securities‘ Head of Development in London Colette O‘Shea.
“We are delighted with the continued success we‘ve had in attracting a diverse range of tenants to Victoria and will keep talking to Londoners about what they want for the area so that it remains one of the most exciting and vibrant parts of our London portfolio”.
