Waitrose Confirms Plans for Major Refurbishment
Store tight-lipped on whether intention is to expand floor space
The store is expected to close temporarily in the new year
August 31, 2025
Waitrose has confirmed that it is planning a major refurbishment of its Chiswick store in the new year.
The John Lewis Partnership is timing the upgrade to follow the completion of similar work being carried out on the High Road by Marks and Spencer and the Christmas holiday.
A spokesperson for the company said that it was too early to confirm any details about what changes would be made at the store and how long any required closure might be as the plans are still being worked on.
The company announced last year that it would be investing over a billion pounds in 150 of its existing branches over the next three years. This June, James Bailey, managing director of Waitrose, said, "We are moving up a gear in store investment as we open in new locations and modernise our existing estate to bring quality, service and value that customers love about Waitrose closer to more people."
The investment plans include the upgrade of meat and fish counters a reversal of the trend of previous changes made in Chiswick which has lost its meat and deli counters over the last decade. One of the first stores to benefit from the new wave of investment was the one in Finchley which saw the introduction of chilled wine and beer departments and a dedicated area for on-demand grocery collections including external hatches for Deliveroo and Uber Eats riders. Other stores have seen expansion of on site bakeries.
The spokesperson for the company declined to address a question as to whether the plans for the Chiswick store included expansion into adjacent units as Marks & Spencer is in the process of doing in Chiswick. Vodaphone currently occupies 352-354 Chiswick High Road, a sizeable unit that would allow Waitrose to go some way to matching the increase in the footprint of its competitor. Both units have the same freehold ownership.
We spoke to property professionals who deal with leases on Chiswick High Road and they agreed that the unit was likely to be attractive to Waitrose but they were unaware of any move to take it over. It is believed that following the merger between Vodaphone and Three, the enlarged company will be looking to close either this store or the Three outlet a short walk away at 290 Chiswick High Road. Both shops have recently had to introduce a locked door policy to combat the risk of theft. VodaphoneThree has not responded to a request for a comment.
The adjacent Vodaphone store could provide an opportunity for expansion
The unit on the other side of Waitrose which up until recently was occupied by Greggs has recently been taken over by a mobile phone repair company and, with a smaller square footage, offers less opportunity for expansion and is under a different freeholder.
One local property professional said, “A factor in this rush to upgrade supermarkets on the High Road must be the consideration that the Sainsbury’s redevelopment is coming at some point. Although they have said they will keep the old store running until the new one opens, even if this would be possible, shopping at the site would be much less appealing. There is an opportunity for a much-needed revenue boost for an extended period and it is likely Marks & Spencer and Waitrose didn’t want to miss out. The new Sainsbury’s store is likely to offer a much better shopping experience than currently and the two High Road stores would have looked a bit run down by comparison if they didn’t act.”
The Waitrose spokesperson said that more details of what is being planned in Chiswick will be released in due course.
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