Waitrose Wine Departments

Waitrose Gloucester Road 1928

Partenrship Archives

Early Development

By Pam Kenworthy

Waitrose started trading in wine and spirits around 1910. By 1930 only three branches had wine and spirit departments – Gloucester Road, Surbiton and Windsor (Castle Hill) however customers could now also order from other branches.

Customers had to buy 3 dozen beers at a time!

In 1932 Gerrards Cross opened a separate wine shop next to the Waitrose store – it operated under an excise licence and a wholesale beer licence as a Justice’s off-licence was refused. Customers had to buy 3 dozen beers at a time!