Guildford - closed branch

Waitrose opened their eleventh supermarket at Guildford on Tuesday 23rd April 1963. The construction of the branch, from two cottages, a baker’s shop, a garage, a car showroom and an open yard, took just six months. There were 39 full time Partners and 6 weekend part-time assistants.

The store had great visual impact from a large vertical name sign, the glass frontage being set back allowing parking space for customers’ prams and basket-trolleys. Inside the gondolas were of the newer six-foot height, following the American experiments proving that merchandise placed at that height did not sell as fast as that at eye level but still at a valuable rate.

About fifty customers were waiting for the supermarket to open at 10.00am on opening day. During the day 1,679 customers went through the check-out points. The automatic doors surprised and amused customers, especially the children.

Customer comments were very complimentary although one customer disliked the Rediffusion music, which was “in truth a little obtrusive” (perhaps fortunately it broke down completely mid-morning.

The branch ceased trading at the close of business on Saturday 27th January 1973. The decision to close was made by the Central Board, owing to the ‘poor natural resources which have made it impossible to reach current trading standards’. Waitrose Guildford was outside the main shopping area of the city and the branch had very little car parking facilities.