Waterlooville and Four Oaks: closures postponed

24th March 2020 – The following information was released online by the Gazette, during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Waitrose & Partners shops in Waterlooville and Four Oaks will remain open until September to help meet the current high demand for food and essentials, it has been announced.

The two shops previously had a closing date of June after an announcement earlier this month revealed the business had not been able to find a way to make the shops commercially sustainable in the long-term.

Both supermarkets will continue to operate until Sunday 6 September 2020, with 179 Partners at Waterlooville and 101 Partners at Four Oaks working at the shops until then.

Commenting on the decision, Waitrose & Partners Regional Managers Ben Service and David Coltman said:

“We understand we have a responsibility to the community to remain open for as long as possible during this incredibly challenging and unprecedented time. We are making every effort to ensure a good supply of food for everyone and our Four Oaks and Waterlooville Partners are doing an incredible job in very difficult circumstances to help customers get what they need.”

The third shop mentioned in the announcement earlier this month, Waitrose Helensburgh, will still close in May due to contractual obligations related to the sale of the shop.

Waitrose & Partners Head of Selling and Service Lucy Brown said: “We fully recognise the huge pressure these exceptional circumstances have put on the areas in which we trade and of course our Partners. I am therefore very sorry to our Helensburgh customers and team there, whose tireless work and professionalism have been exemplary, that we will be unable to postpone the closure of the shop beyond May.”