So is Waitrose well regarded in Marlborough?

Absolutely. I belong to the Marlborough Chamber of Trade, which means I work closely with the town's smaller food and drink shops. We are also showcasing the work of local artists in our lobby and sponsoring public events in the high street.

That's quite a lot...

That's not all. I also belong to the Marlborough Climate Change group. Our customers are now using 50% fewer carrier bags than they were last year, thanks to colleagues on the checkout asking if shoppers have remembered to bring their own bags along with them that day.

What product is selling well at the moment?

Since Waitrose refreshed and repackaged the pre-packed cake range, we have seen sales rise by 30% year on year. And our Delicatezze range of Mediterannean finger foods is selling very well with tourists on their way to Stonehenge, and local office workers.

Do you have an online service?

Yes, we launched Waitrose Deliver late last year and it is doing well. I actually donned the hi-visibility jacket and accompanied a driver out on his rounds recently and it was great fun. Many of our customers live in isolated rural areas and rely on our deliveries for their shopping. Our drivers, who were handpicked for their customer service skills, often arrive to a great reception.

How do you maintain such good availability?

It is something we have been working hard on recently. Last weekend, when it was forecast to be wet but turned out sunny and hot, our availability team did fantastically well to reorder the stock to suit the unexpected weather.

What would you like to change about your store?

I would love to have a small in-store café. It would be a great opportunity for our customers, who are generally quite inquisitive about food, to properly sample some of the products on our shelves before buying them.

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