Barbican (732): Opening

Opened 18/05/2006

Address: Cherry Tree Walk Centre Barbican London EC1Y 8NX

New Branch Manager Andy adopted the showbiz feeling of the area when he spoke to his staff minutes before the re-furbished Barbican branch opened on Thursday [May 2006].
‘It’s show time’ he told the Partners. ‘It’s time to start performing at the Barbican.’
The store is the second to open under Waitrose’s Turin programme and has been given a completely new look. It is surrounded by huge blocks of flats and very close to the Barbican Centre – world famous for theatrical and musical dramas.
‘To see the branch looking as it does today is marvellous’ Andy said. The longest serving Partner, branch cook June, cut the ribbon to formally open the branch. June has been in the shop for 18 years, starting in the meat department when it originally opened as a Safeway and staying on as it moved briefly to the Morrisons group, then on to Somerfield. Now it has become Waitrose. June is one of the existing employees who have stayed on and become Partners in the business.
The Barbican branch is one of 5 acquired from Somerfield under the Turin project and is part of an expansion that will see the group expand still further with shops as far afield as Scotland opening in the next few weeks. The project will further consolidate Waitrose’s presence as one of the country’s leading supermarket chains.
When the curtain went up at the Cherry Tree Walk shop on Thursday, a queue of customers certainly applauded the move. Most agreed that the arrival of what was described as ‘a better, quality store which has been long awaited.’

Branch manager Andy presented the first male customers with a bottle of champagne and the first women customers large bouquets of flowers.
Among the many changes that greeted everyone inside the 16 000sq ft of new look shelves and aisles were dedicated meat and fish counters, (available at the branch for the first time), a vastly improved cheese selection, hot food counter, rotisserie, delicatessen, bakery and patisserie.
For the first time too, there were salad and olive bars, a Bratt pan and a wine department, with a specially trained Waitrose wine specialist joining the branch team able to guide customers around an acclaimed (and affordable) selection. The shop has been designed for convenience with the latest touch-screen checkouts installed.
‘It has been completely stripped and refurbished’ said Refurbishment Project Manager Zoe, who completed the multi-million pound turn-round with a team of contractors.  The shop now has completely new refrigeration systems and cabinets, new electrical systems, re-decorated Partners’ areas and new fixtures and fittings.
Amazingly, the work was completed in just three weeks, especially as it was decided not to do any of the work at night to prevent noise interference.

Products like the Waitrose large and regular salad tubs were among the top sellers, while lemons, whole rosemary and thyme chickens, petit pains and poppy seed knot rolls also made strong showings. Customers also made an immediate beeline for the ready meals, sandwich and pre-packed salad and cheese sections.
‘We cannot wait to bring a different level of quality food and service to our new customers.’ said BM Andy. He is indeed directing and orchestrating a very different kind of top show at the Barbican.

Edited excerpt of the Waitrose Chronicle Volume 66 No 21. 27th May 2006

Address: Cherry Tree Walk Centre Barbican London EC1Y 8NX