Exactly one year ago, in September 2014, Waitrose announced its intention to build its first Heathfield location on Vauxhall Garage's Station Road site, scheduling the opening some time during October 2015. Things went faster than expected and Waitrose inaugurated the store last Wednesday, 23rd December, at 7am. “The opening is the realisation of a long-standing ambition to be in Heathfield and we are delighted to welcome our new customers. The investment we are making means we can help bring more shoppers to the town, create more choice and provide new jobs” said Jeremy Barnard, the Store Manager.
With this store came the creation of 60 new jobs in Heathfield. As new Partners in the John Lewis Partnership, these employees are entitled to various benefits such as leisure and learning subsides and a share in profits. The branch offers around 5,000 products, along with the Waitrose range, a bakery, hot snacks and wine. The store will also share a £500 monthly donation between three good causes chosen by customers: at the checkout, every shopper gets a token to vote for a cause he wants to support. The amount of the donation to the cause is proportional to the number of tokens it receives.
*Photo: Waitrose
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