New Waitrose and Aldi Stores To Open on the Same Day – Or Will They?

Published on: 22 Oct, 2015
Updated on: 24 Oct, 2015

Remember, remember the fifth of November… not so much for Guy Fawkes this year in Guildford – but perhaps there will be some fireworks in the competition between two new supermarkets both expecting to open on the very same day.

Their offering will be from different ends of the supermarket sector. Waitrose at the top while Aldi a “discount supermarket” represents the cut price, basic model that is increasing in popularity as the purse strings of many shoppers remain tight.

Waitrose has confirmed that it will now open its new branch, off York Road, in Guildford at 8am on Thursday, November 5th rather than today (October 22nd) as originally planned.

A spokesperson said: “While every effort has been made to ensure the building of York Road store remained on track, a delay in the availability of materials, including the cladding panels, has meant it was necessary to revise the construction programme.”

The 38 apartments that are being constructed above the shop have already been sold by housing developer, Burton Properties. They will be completed after the opening as originally planned when Burton will fit out the units ready for occupancy in autumn 2016.

Up to 200 jobs have been created by the new shop and the new employees will continue their training at other Waitrose branches until the opening.

Waitrose Guildford branch manager, Ken Storr, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the anticipation of our return to Guildford after more than forty years so understand the revised programme will cause some disappointment.

The short delay enables us to get the branch absolutely right to welcome our new customers in November and we cannot wait for shoppers to see what the branch has to offer.”

The stocking of the new shop will now commence on 30th October ready to welcome customers with the latest Waitrose offer, including meat, fish and deli counters, a bakery with an eat-in area, a rotisserie and an extensive wine department.

There still remains concern, especially from motorists who regularly use York Road about the impact of Waitrose’s car park. It will add hundreds of extra car movements each day to a road that can already easily become congested.

Others are already frustrated about the length of time the roadworks have taken. One regular commuter into Guildford said this morning: “Where are these new traffic lights? Is there a national shortage? And where are the workmen? I need to get to work.”

Aldi – an artists impression of the completed store

Two miles out of the town centre, some local observers think that the opening date for the Aldi store in Burpham, on the London Road, is uncertain. Recent applications to increase the number HGV deliveries have been refused and they question will be able to operate within ta constraint imposed at the time planning permission was granted.

At the time the planning application was considered, Tim Dawes, the council’s development control manager, said that conditions would be attached to the planning application so that there would be only one delivery with an HGV lorry each day.

There have also been reports that Aldi were finding difficulty in recruiting sufficient suitable staff and even that job applicants were being offered zero hour contracts. But today an spokesperson said: “The comment about zero hours contracts is completely untrue – Aldi does not offer these type of contracts for any of its roles.”

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