Do you live near a Waitrose?

MumOf2

A large Waitrose has just opened near us - walking distance which is great. It's our closest supermarket but there are small Co-op and Sainsburys just round the corner too. Large supermarkets of all varieties within 15 mins' drive.


Yes, we're thrilled there's a large supermarket of any variety within walking distance. So much better for people of all ages who, for whatever reason, don't drive - the smaller stores charge an arm and a leg, much more than Waitrose, and they hold non-drivers over a barrel.


As for tinned soup - never; always make our own from fresh.

Toffin
x

chewmylegoff

I live at the centre of a Waitrose triangle. It is often difficult to choose which one of the three to drive to do our shopping although the Esher one is a bit pokey so we normally avoid that one if we can.

We also live about the same distance from Tescos, Sainsburys and a large M&S as well so just shop in whichever one has sent us the best discount vouchers recently. I can't say I have noticed Waitrose being any more expensive than the other ones although I don't buy many boxes of thorntons chocolates so maybe that is why.

davilown

I live near a waitrose (1 mile away), and shop there each week. My shopping bill is the same as when I shopped at tesco or asda, with the only difference bing the lack of waste as waitrose has a lot less 'BOGOF' offers. Why is my bill the same? My son has a part time job at John Lewis so we get 15% discount.

Tbh, the shop branded stuff tastes better and fruit/veg lasts a lot longer plus you don't have to put up with the massive queues any difficulty in parking. Oh and the aldi/waitrose combination is a very good one!

Incidently, this store is only 1/2 a mile from what used to be the biggest council estate in Europe.

antrobus

chewmylegoff wrote: »

.... I can't say I have noticed Waitrose being any more expensive than the other ones although I don't buy many boxes of thorntons chocolates so maybe that is why.

Have you tried actually checking prices?:)

Waitrose is pretty consistent in being the most expensive supermarket on the Grocer 33. Cost of this week's basket £62.69, compared to Morrisons £54.26 - that's a 15% premium.

davilown wrote: »

... Why is my bill the same? My son has a part time job at John Lewis so we get 15% discount. ...

See, there you go, 15%.:)

westernpromise

Spidernick wrote: »

We had a Waitrose open up five minutes walk from me about a year ago, replacing the Co-op, which was a little tired it has to be said. Initially a Morrisons was due to be there, but they seem to be in all sorts of trouble (building of the one in the centre of Southampton has also ground to a halt).

I like Waitrose for the free coffee, but would never do my main shop there. Some things are stupidly expensive:

When looking for a Mothers' Day present with one of my boys the other week a small box of Thorntons chocolates was £7, whereas the newsagent over the road was selling the same chocolates for £5 for a box twice the size;

My wife once paid £1.45 for four free-range eggs (I didn't even know that you could buy eggs in boxes of four!), whereas I usually get six free-range eggs in Iceland for £1 (so Waitrose are more than twice as expensive); and

You can get beer and wine considerably cheaper elsewhere.

Against that, their essential range is reasonably priced and we sometimes go to get cheap pastries in the evening when they are marked down.

Where I live is considered an affluent part of Fareham Borough, but having a Waitrose doesn't bother me, but I think the Tory council see it as something of a coup.

The aisles are nice and wide, the staff helpful and the place is not chocka with !!!!!!.

antrobus

westernpromise wrote: »

The aisles are nice and wide, the staff helpful and the place is not chocka with !!!!!!.

The aisles in my local Waitrose are somewhat cramped, and whilst you do get a better class of shopper, some of them are, as you might say, somewhat elderly and confused and tend to get in the way.

Queues at the checkouts are horrendous as well. But then, that's why God gave us Quick Check.

ukcarper

chewmylegoff wrote: »

I live at the centre of a Waitrose triangle. It is often difficult to choose which one of the three to drive to do our shopping although the Esher one is a bit pokey so we normally avoid that one if we can.

We also live about the same distance from Tescos, Sainsburys and a large M&S as well so just shop in whichever one has sent us the best discount vouchers recently. I can't say I have noticed Waitrose being any more expensive than the other ones although I don't buy many boxes of thorntons chocolates so maybe that is why.

Do you use Cobham Waitrose if so what do you think of car park.

ruggedtoast

chewmylegoff wrote: »

I live at the centre of a Waitrose triangle...

Oh.
My.
God.

Two more and it would be the quintessence of Waitrose.

lostinrates

ruggedtoast wrote: »

Oh.
My.
God.

Two more and it would be the quintessence of Waitrose.

I live in a very large quintessence. Two are very large stores though.

chewmylegoff

ukcarper wrote: »

Do you use Cobham Waitrose if so what do you think of car park.

Awful but because I drive a Q3 I can just about fit between the badly parked Freelanders and Range Rovers as long as I arrive before 10am.

It is still better than the Esher Waitrose car park which is diabolical.