Waitrose, Old High Street
The Waitrose sign goes up at the Old High Street entrance on 6 May 2009
Line-up of new trolleys, minutes before Waitrose opened on 7 May 2009
Headington Branch Manager Graham Oakley welcomes first customer Gabriel Mech
In 2009 the Co-op bought the whole national Somerfield company for £1.57bn, and the Headington Somerfield was sold on to Waitrose and closed on 8 April 2009.
Oxford’s first Waitrose opened on 7 May 2009. It was granted planning permission on three applications (09/00399/FUL, 09/00400/FUL, and 09/00418/ADV), and also a licence (09/00227/PREM) to permit the sale of alcohol and regulated entertainment (recorded music only) from Monday to Sunday, 0800 to 2300.
16 April 2009: Waitrose starts its building work
Christopher Mazungula, a popular assistant at Somerfield, in his new
Waitrose uniform, worn for training in Thame on 2 May 2009
Headington Waitrose official website, with opening hours
The Times, 20 January 2010:
’Headington is home to the John Radcliffe, Oxford Brookes University and Waitrose (“everyone seems to think Waitrose is crucial”, Kirkland [of John D. Wood estate agents] says).’
Links
- BBC, 16 July 2008: Co-op buys Somerfield for £1.57bn
- Oxford Mail, 16 January 2009:“Waitrose makes move on city”
- Oxford Mail, 26 January 2009: “New Waitrose ‘needs better bus links’ ”
- History of this Headington supermarket site
