Waitrose to open six new Welcome Break sites
Waitrose is to open six new branches at Welcome Break sites within the next four months as the supermarket accelerates its expansion plans with the motorway services operator.
The new branches follow a deal struck by Waitrose and Welcome Break earlier in the year which extended the existing franchise partnership for a further ten years. The six new stores will create 120 jobs and will take the Waitrose branches at Welcome Break sites to 25.
Waitrose and Welcome Break have been steadily rolling out new branches across the UK since its partnership began in 2009.
The next branch will open this week on the forecourt at Welcome Break Hopwood Park on the M42 near Birmingham. The store will operate alongside the Waitrose site in the main Welcome Break complex. Five further branches will open in the Midlands and the North, and the first Waitrose at a Welcome Break site in Scotland will also open in Gretna Green, Dumfries on the M74 later this month.
Waitrose said its stores at Welcome Break sites had proved “very successful”, with sales up by 17% compared to last year.
David Morton, director of business to business at Waitrose, said: “Our partnership with Welcome Break has proved a real success with customers and these new branches will give us the opportunity to increase our presence in other areas where customer demand is high.
“As these new stores are predominantly in the Midlands and the north of England, our recently opened distribution centre in Leyland will also help to support our growth in the area. We’re also delighted to open the first Waitrose at a Welcome Break in Scotland. All the new stores will continue to offer customers the convenience and quality you’d expect, with an even greater choice of products.”
