Waitrose Clapham Junction today (Thursday 17th September at 8am) welcomes customers back through its doors, following an extensive transformation designed to deliver an upgraded, modern shopping experience for south London food lovers.
The opening marks a fortnight of significant investment in the area, following the reopening of nearby Waitrose Balham on Friday 11th September, which also underwent a comprehensive store transformation.
To mark the Clapham Junction reopening, celebrations will take place across the morning with live musical entertainment at the shop entrance, alongside a special pop-up sampling station to treat local commuters and shoppers. In-store, the first customers through the doors will be greeted with a complimentary glass of prosecco or orange juice, and a commemorative reusable Waitrose tote bag for their groceries, with even more food and drink tastings taking place throughout the weekend.
The shop, located on St John’s Road, has undergone a comprehensive nine-week refit to introduce an array of enhancements, modernised departments, and operational improvements that celebrate quality food and seamless service.
Key highlights of the Clapham Junction transformation include:
New dry-aged beef cabinet: A culinary destination for home cooks, the new cabinet showcases the finest British cuts.
New customer coffee machine: Shoppers can now treat themselves on-the-go to a hot drink from a dedicated self-serve station – the perfect perk for local commuters and myWaitrose members.
Smoother, intuitive store layout: Redesigned aisle flow to make browsing effortless – whether popping in for tonight’s dinner or doing the full weekly shop.
New refrigeration: replaced for improved energy efficiency.
Branch manager, Martin Lockwood, who leads the team of 85 Partners at Waitrose Clapham Junction, said: “Our Clapham Junction branch has been at the heart of the bustling St John’s Road community for almost 20 years, and this refurbishment is all about giving our customers the inspiring experience they deserve.
“From our new-look layout to our product displays, every improvement has been made with our customers in mind.
“Hot on the heels of our sister store in Balham reopening just last week, this is a real demonstration of Waitrose’s commitment to our south London community. We’re thrilled to welcome everyone back with live music, giveaways, and plenty of delicious food to taste.
“On behalf of all the Partners here at Clapham Junction, we want to say a huge thank you to our loyal customers for their patience. We can’t wait to show you around your new shop.”
Gary Burt, executive BID manager for Clapham Junction Business Improvement District, added: “We’re delighted to see Waitrose on St John’s Road reopen following an extensive refurbishment. We believe the significant investment in this project signals a clear vote of confidence in Clapham Junction as a destination town centre.
“Waitrose has always played an important role in Clapham Junction, providing local employment, attracting visitors and offering products and services that enhance the customer experience.
“The refurbished store further complements the rich mix of independent and high-street businesses on St John’s Road and strengthens Clapham Junction’s reputation as a vibrant and welcoming destination for residents, workers and visitors alike.
“We’d like to congratulate the Waitrose team on this exciting milestone and look forward to the positive contribution it continues to make to our local economy and the Battersea community.”
Nationwide investment
Waitrose is committed to investing in its estate, including nationwide refurbishments and new openings. This forms part of a £1bn, multi-year programme designed to offer the very best products, service and shops for customers.
This month has also seen refurbishments of stores in Finchley and Balham, and Waitrose is on track to open three new stores this year – two full-line supermarkets in Hale Barns (Greater Manchester) and Cricklewood (North West London), and a convenience store in Ascot (Berkshire). Waitrose is refurbishing 28 shops this year and launching into airport travel retail for the first time with four RELAY stores in Heathrow Terminal 2.
