Waitrose has denied it is about to roll out standalone forecourt stores after opening its first in Portishead, near Bristol.
The 1,500 sq ft store forms part of an Esso-branded petrol filling station on Portishead High Street and is a short distance away from a Waitrose supermarket, which opened in the new harbour area of Portishead in June 2003.
However, a spokeswoman for Waitrose said the new forecourt store, which sells soft drinks, beers, wine, groceries and hot food, did not represent a new strategy. “We thought it a good opportunity to enhance our presence on the High Street as well as signposting our full size store. But it is not part of a general strategy.”
Waitrose also has six forecourt stores on petrol stations next to full size supermarkets.
>>p36 Forecourt battleground
The 1,500 sq ft store forms part of an Esso-branded petrol filling station on Portishead High Street and is a short distance away from a Waitrose supermarket, which opened in the new harbour area of Portishead in June 2003.
However, a spokeswoman for Waitrose said the new forecourt store, which sells soft drinks, beers, wine, groceries and hot food, did not represent a new strategy. “We thought it a good opportunity to enhance our presence on the High Street as well as signposting our full size store. But it is not part of a general strategy.”
Waitrose also has six forecourt stores on petrol stations next to full size supermarkets.
>>p36 Forecourt battleground
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