Premium retailer Waitrose has announced that it expects to create 2,000 jobs through opening 16 new shops and carrying out two major extensions.
The retailer is opening 14 shops across the UK from spring this year, including seven new supermarkets and seven new 'little Waitrose' convenience shops. It has already opened two so far this year.
It is also relocating one supermarket and carrying out two major extensions to existing branches in Saffron Walden and Bayswater. In total Waitrose will add around 230,000 sq ft of selling space to its portfolio.
The news comes as the supermarket also unveiled a new e-commerce grocery depot, known as a Dot.com Fulfillment Centre (DFC) in Couldson, south London.
New supermarkets include Wollaton (Nottinghamshire) Milngavie (East Dumbartonshire), Bagshot (Surrey), Oxford, King's Cross (to incorporate a new cookery school), Basingstoke (Hampshire) and Guildford (Surrey).
The business will be also be creating additional roles in its distribution department to service the expanding number of branches.
Waitrose director of development, Nigel Keen, said the move shows Waitrose’s investment in an “omni-channel approach”.
“Last year many of our new branches received than more than 10 applications for every vacancy - so we're delighted to be able to create an additional 2,000 roles in 2015,” he said.
