Waitrose plans seventh Scottish store with Milngavie application

WAITROSE is furthering its steady expansion north of the Border with proposals to build its seventh store in Scotland.

The supermarket chain, part of the John Lewis Partnership, is seeking to build a 36,500sq ft outlet on what is currently the second pitch of West of Scotland Football Club. Plans for the development follow approval last month for stores in Stirling and Helensburgh, both opening early next year.

Favoured by middle-class shoppers, Waitrose already has two branches in Edinburgh, one in Glasgow and a fourth in Newton Mearns.

West of Scotland president John Cameron said the development would secure funds “that the club needs to survive and prosper”. New training facilities and a new all-weather pitch are planned should the deal go through.

The store would employ 180 people, adding to the 2,750 currently working for Waitrose and John Lewis across Scotland. The group hopes to open the Milngavie branch before 2014.