Waitrose is developing four principal physical retail formats:
- Full-line supermarkets for larger weekly shops and broader product ranges.
- Neighbourhood shops of approximately 7,000 sq ft, positioned between convenience stores and conventional supermarkets.
- Little Waitrose convenience stores for quick purchases and top-up shopping.
- Travel retail outlets operated through partners at airports, motorway services and petrol stations.
The latest confirmed developments include an open neighbourhood store at Chelmer Village, planned autumn 2026 openings in Hale Barns, Cricklewood and Ascot, and a full-line supermarket planned for Brabazon in Bristol in 2028.
Waitrose is also refurbishing 28 existing stores during 2026.
Waitrose expansion plans at a glance:
| Development | Format or investment | Current status |
| Chelmer Village, Essex | 7,000 sq ft neighbourhood shop | Opened 10 July 2026 |
| Hale Barns, Greater Manchester | 15,000 sq ft full-line supermarket | Planned for autumn 2026 |
| Cricklewood, North West London | 18,000 sq ft full-line supermarket | Planned for autumn 2026 |
| Ascot, Berkshire | 3,000 sq ft Little Waitrose | Planned for autumn 2026 |
| Brabazon, Bristol | 30,000 sq ft full-line supermarket | Planned for 2028 |
| Heathrow Terminal 2 | Four RELAY travel retail shops | Opening during 2026 |
| Existing Waitrose estate | 28 shop refurbishments | Planned during 2026 |
| Bristol 360 distribution centre | 360,000 sq ft logistics facility | Planned to open in 2027 |
| Total investment programme | Shops, online services and partnerships | £1 billion over multiple years |
Opening dates are company targets and may change because of construction, planning, lease or operational requirements.
What is the Waitrose Neighbourhood Store Format?
The new Waitrose neighbourhood concept is designed to bridge the gap between a small convenience shop and a traditional full-size supermarket.
A neighbourhood shop is expected to provide enough range for a planned dinner or a substantial grocery visit while remaining easy to navigate for customers making a quick top-up purchase.
The format is particularly suited to busy suburban communities where residents may shop several times during the week rather than completing one large supermarket trip.
How Large is a Waitrose Neighbourhood Shop?
The Chelmer Village shop has a selling area of approximately 7,000 sq ft and carries more than 6,500 products.
Its range includes fresh food, bakery products, drinks, Waitrose own-label ranges and everyday groceries. Customers can also collect qualifying John Lewis and Waitrose orders or use rapid delivery services provided through third-party platforms.
The Chelmer Village opening created 39 local jobs. Waitrose has also committed to donating £12,000 annually to local charities through its Community Matters programme.
The John Lewis Partnership announcement covering the Chelmer Village opening provides further details about the shop’s products, services and community support.
What Shopping Needs Does the Neighbourhood Format Serve?
The format is intended to accommodate several types of visit:
- A quick fresh-food or household top-up.
- Ingredients for an evening meal.
- A smaller weekly grocery shop.
- Collection of online or entertaining orders.
- Rapid local delivery through Deliveroo, Just Eat or Uber Eats.
This flexibility is important because grocery shopping increasingly takes place across shops, websites, mobile applications and on-demand delivery platforms rather than through one weekly supermarket visit.
Where is Waitrose Opening New Supermarkets?
Waitrose has announced new full-line supermarkets in Hale Barns, Cricklewood and Brabazon.
These larger stores will offer broader product ranges than the neighbourhood and convenience formats.
Hale Barns, Greater Manchester
Waitrose plans to open a 15,000 sq ft supermarket at The Square in Hale Barns, near Altrincham.
The site is currently associated with an Asda supermarket and is expected to undergo a full refit before reopening as Waitrose in autumn 2026.
Existing eligible Asda employees at the location are expected to transfer to the John Lewis Partnership, with additional recruitment also planned.
The opening is part of Waitrose’s effort to increase its presence in northern England and reach customers beyond its traditional concentrations in London and southern England.
Cricklewood, North West London
The new Cricklewood supermarket is expected to occupy an 18,000 sq ft development at 194–196 Cricklewood Broadway.
The site is close to Cricklewood railway station and is scheduled to open in autumn 2026. Together, the Cricklewood and Hale Barns branches will add more than 30,000 sq ft of Waitrose selling space.
Brabazon, Bristol
A larger 30,000 sq ft full-line supermarket is planned for Brabazon, a major mixed-use development being built on the former Filton Airfield site in Bristol.
The shop is currently planned to open in 2028 and is expected to create approximately 150 jobs. It represents a longer-term opening rather than one of the branches scheduled for autumn 2026.
Where is Waitrose Opening a New Convenience Store?
A new Little Waitrose convenience shop is planned for Ascot High Street in Berkshire.
The approximately 3,000 sq ft branch will occupy a former bank building at 19 High Street and is scheduled to open in autumn 2026. Waitrose expects the shop to create 20 local jobs.
The location has been selected to serve residents, commuters, visitors and racegoers who need a smaller store for food-to-go, evening meals and grocery top-ups. It will also have a limited number of dedicated parking spaces.
How is Waitrose Expanding Into Travel Retail?
Waitrose is also increasing its availability in locations where a conventional supermarket would not be practical.
Four RELAY shops at Heathrow Terminal 2 are expected to stock Waitrose products during 2026. The arrangement marks Waitrose’s first expansion into airport travel retail.
- 35 Welcome Break motorway service locations.
- 107 Shell forecourts.
- Four new Heathrow Terminal 2 RELAY shops.
These outlets allow Waitrose to reach customers travelling by road or air without requiring the company to build and operate a traditional supermarket at every site.
What Does the £1 Billion Waitrose Investment Cover?
The £1 billion figure should not be interpreted as money allocated only to new supermarket buildings.
Waitrose says the multi-year programme covers several connected areas:
New Shops in Targeted Locations
The retailer is looking for accessible, high-footfall leasehold and freehold sites in towns, suburban areas and city centres.
Its stated approach is based on finding the “right size” store for each location rather than installing the same format everywhere.
Refurbishing Existing Waitrose Stores
Waitrose operates approximately 320 shops and is investing in the existing estate as well as opening new locations.
The latest July 2026 announcement says 28 shops will be refurbished during 2026, following 23 completed refurbishments in 2025.
Upgrades can include redesigned bakeries, modernised food counters, revised layouts and improvements to collection and delivery operations.
Online and Rapid Grocery Delivery
Waitrose.com remains the company’s primary online grocery platform. The retailer also offers rapid delivery through Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats in participating areas.
These partnerships allow customers to order a smaller selection of products for faster delivery without Waitrose having to build a separate on-demand network from the ground up.
Distribution Infrastructure
Waitrose plans to open a new 360,000 sq ft distribution centre at Bristol 360 in the Avonmouth area during 2027.
The facility is expected to serve approximately 50 existing stores initially, with additional capacity to support future expansion. It should strengthen distribution across South West England and help supply new locations such as the planned Brabazon supermarket.
Why is Waitrose Introducing Different Store Sizes?
A multi-format estate gives a grocery retailer more flexibility when selecting locations and responding to local demand.
For example, a densely developed high street may be suitable for a 3,000 sq ft convenience shop but unable to accommodate a large supermarket.
A suburban retail park may have enough parking and customer demand for a 7,000 sq ft neighbourhood branch, while a major residential development may justify a full-line store.
The approach can help Waitrose:
- Enter locations where a full supermarket would be too large.
- Tailor product ranges to local shopping habits.
- Serve weekly, top-up and food-to-go purchases.
- Combine physical stores with collection and rapid delivery.
- Expand through partnerships as well as company-operated shops.
Waitrose Retail Director Tina Mitchell said the company’s growth strategy reflects the fact that consumers no longer depend on a single weekly supermarket visit. The retailer is therefore seeking high-footfall sites that support its broader omnichannel model.
What Could the Expansion Mean for Customers and Communities?
The practical effect will depend on each location.
A neighbourhood store may make a broader Waitrose range available to customers who previously had only a small convenience outlet nearby. A full-line supermarket can create more permanent jobs and attract additional visitors to an existing shopping area.
New branches may also provide:
- Local employment and training opportunities.
- Click and Collect services.
- Rapid grocery delivery.
- Access to Waitrose own-brand ranges.
- Community funding and charitable support.
- Increased competition between local food retailers.
However, a confirmed site announcement does not mean every operational detail has been finalised. Opening dates, product ranges, service counters, parking arrangements and delivery coverage may differ by branch.
Is Waitrose Currently Growing?
Waitrose says its expansion is taking place during a period of improving customer engagement.
According to the company-supplied July 2026 announcement, My Waitrose membership increased by 6% year on year, while the retailer’s Net Promoter Score rose by 10 points.
These are company-reported indicators and should not be treated as independently audited forecasts of future performance.
The expansion nevertheless signals a significant change from the period in which Waitrose concentrated mainly on managing and modernising its existing estate.
Final Takeaway
The Waitrose new store formats are central to a broader attempt to make the retailer available in more places and across more shopping occasions.
The strategy combines large supermarkets, 7,000 sq ft neighbourhood branches, smaller Little Waitrose shops and partner-operated travel outlets.
Chelmer Village is already open, while Hale Barns, Cricklewood and Ascot are scheduled for autumn 2026. Brabazon represents a longer-term development planned for 2028.
Alongside those openings, Waitrose is refurbishing existing stores, expanding rapid delivery partnerships and developing new distribution capacity.
The £1 billion programme therefore represents a wider overhaul of how the retailer serves customers, rather than a conventional supermarket-opening campaign alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the new Waitrose neighbourhood format?
It is a mid-sized store format positioned between a Little Waitrose convenience shop and a full-line supermarket. The Chelmer Village example has a 7,000 sq ft sales area and carries more than 6,500 products.
Where is the first new Waitrose neighbourhood shop?
The latest neighbourhood-format shop opened at Chelmer Village Retail Park in Chelmsford, Essex, on 10 July 2026.
Which new Waitrose stores are opening in autumn 2026?
Waitrose currently plans to open full-line supermarkets in Hale Barns and Cricklewood, together with a Little Waitrose convenience store in Ascot.
When will Waitrose Brabazon open?
The 30,000 sq ft Brabazon supermarket in Bristol is officially planned for 2028. Its opening date may still change as the wider development progresses.
How much is Waitrose investing in new stores?
Waitrose has announced a multi-year £1 billion investment programme. This covers new stores, refurbishments, digital services, partnerships and supply-chain facilities rather than new openings alone.
How many Waitrose stores are being refurbished in 2026?
The latest company-supplied announcement states that 28 existing Waitrose shops will be refurbished during 2026.
Is Waitrose opening at Heathrow Airport?
Waitrose products are being introduced through four RELAY shops at Heathrow Terminal 2. These are travel retail outlets rather than conventional full-size Waitrose supermarkets.
Is Waitrose opening more stores across the UK?
Waitrose says it is actively seeking additional high-footfall leasehold and freehold sites in towns, suburbs and city centres. However, locations should not be regarded as confirmed until the company formally announces them.
How many shops does Waitrose currently operate?
Waitrose states that it has approximately 320 shops, alongside its online grocery business and partner outlets at locations including motorway service areas and petrol stations.