Waitrose

Waitrose is the supermarket haven/​heaven for the conscientious yet demanding middle class, and this store is a good example of why. The service, for one: every Waitrose employee is a Waitrose shareholder and it really shows in the quality of service each gives to even the vaguest of customer query. Waitrose’s coffee machines have been placed under virtual siege ever since the ‘One free coffee each day’ offer courtesy of the myWaitrose loyalty card scheme, yet the staff here have always dealt with the demand calmly, politely and in the main, competently.
The quality of the food is, of course, excellent and the whole experience actually rather calming. There’s a reason why a supermarket with a reputation for being more expensive can thrive in this tough economic climate, and that’s because shopping here borders on enjoyable.
This particular store does suffer a little from an occasionally confusing division of products between its V-​shaped store, but with its staff as friendly as they are, that’s not too much of an issue.

A nice Waitrose located on the ground floor of the Westfield Shopping Centre. I came here while my special lady hit the shops upstairs. Honestly, I love supermarkets. I can spend hours in a good supermarket. On this visit, I had only appx. 30 minutes, and I spent the whole time browsing the beer selection in this store. Which isn’t to say that the beer selection is amazing, but it’s good enough to entertain me for a bit while I cross check the inventory against those beers I have had before. Didn’t even get to look at the ciders too much. Or the food. I’ll come back here for sure.

Waitrose is really good but they have a hopeless location in this pathetic shopping centre. Sorry Westfield but most of your shops are boring, uninspiring and doesnt give value for money. The staff in this branch is really friendly.

I always feel spoiled at Waitrose. Quality food, clean store, helpful staff, everything comes together to make shopping enjoyable. Treat yourself with fresh bakery items, and don’t forget the antipasti counter!

Finally Waitrose comes to Shepherds Bush and it’s been worth the wait. The place somehow just exudes quality — from the staff to the food, the layout, it makes a huge difference compared with Morrison’s. Well worth it.

Waitrose as the supermarket of Westfield is exemplary of Westfield. It is fancy, specialist and expensive.
There are Waitroses everywhere of course — the big one under John Lewis on Oxford Street is my top option. This one is probably just as good. It is very big but also feels quite nicely designed — airy and light. Not light from buzzing fluorescent lights above but from the large glass windows that line one side of the store.
Tragically they had sold out of tinned pumpkin (an American thing that is really hard to find in the UK). This meant I had to make pumpkin pie with real, fresh pumpkin — which is not the American way!
A terrific selection of delicious and exotic things. Waitrose also does really good party food, their mini banoffee pies are pant-​wettingly yummy.
Out of my regular price range though. It’s a special occasions only place for me.

Waitrose is one of the anchor stores of the new Westfield shopping development, and has delivered what, even for this high-​end company, is an impressive outlet.
The store is relatively large (25,000 sq ft, so I’m told) for an in-​town branch, and — in addition to the normal product range — features a myriad of fresh food counters, including ones for meat and fish, a bakery, a delicatessen, and salad, cheese and olive counters.
One novel feature is a stand-​up eating area with high tables where you can buy fresh products and eat them in-​store, New York style. I have to say eating while standing up is not my cup of tea, so we’ll have to see if others catch on to this.
I’m also rather puzzled as to why they have included a supermarket in such a large shopping centre: I can’t see anyone wanting to go fashion shopping weighed down with groceries, nor have the energy to go to the supermarket once they’ve walked around the miles of gleaming corridors above. On my visit, Waitrose seemed distinctly quiet (on a Friday afternoon), but maybe it’s just a matter of time.
The only downer is its location, which can be a little tricky to find unless you arrive from the Central/​Overground stations: basically, it’s in the basement below the House of Fraser store at the very south east corner of the site. The store also provides a packing, carry-​to-​car and delivery service (not to be sniffed at if you’ve seen the size of Westfield’s car park).

Nice big supermarket with a good range of products which are unavailable elsewhere in the locality. Access is good from the Westfield car park but on foot from the Tube station involves something of an uphill slog. It’s also somewhat separated from the main part of the Westfield complex. On the day I visited there were a good range of special offers and there was always at least one checkout with no queue.

This is going to be the main reason I will return to the monstrosity that is Westfield Shopping Centre.
Conveniently located right at the entrance to the main precinct (and with easy access to the underground car park for those who shop by car) and with its longer Sunday opening hours (all major supermarkets usually close at 4pm), this is an instant hit.
And, of course, it is Waitrose in walking distance to my home — a dream come true. I think this will hurt Tesco on Holland Park Avenue more than it will Morrisons across the road in the now dwarfed West 12 Centre.
Trolleys are provided on the outside and you enter the shop via a travelator. If you are not using a trolley you are best advised to use the stairs. We saw a couple tumbling down the moving ramp, and it looked painful. Staff were ready and waiting at the bottom of the ramp with forms to fill in, suggesting this was not the first accident.
This store fulfills everything you expect from a good supermarket. Waitrose keeps its promise and provides good quality food and an interesting selection of speciality fayre.
The prices are what we have now got used to in London, but at least this is as pleasant a shopping experience as can be.
Checkout staff were still a little slow, I think they are all new recruits. There were loads of staff everywhere in the store, and all extremely helpful.