Waitrose aims to bag new city site

The company is currently eyeing a massive expansion across Scotland and is understood to be looking at potential sites on and around St Andrew Square.

It opened its first Scottish stores in Morningside and Comely Bank five years ago and is said to be planning more outlets after being encouraged by their performance.

The company, the food operation of department store chain John Lewis, has been growing dramatically and its total sales last week powered past the 5 billion mark for the first time.

It is now starting to look for new sites across Scotland and Edinburgh's city centre is understood to be one of its key targets. News of its plans for Edinburgh comes just weeks after the Evening News revealed that American retail giant Whole Foods Market is also planning a move into the Capital.

Dr Mark Robertson, a partner at property firm Ryden, said: "The food operators have done well during the recession and there are specialist players like Waitrose and Whole Foods looking at the city.

"Part of the trend is for operators to look at smaller stores in the city centre and that is what Waitrose is looking at."

Waitrose, which is popular with middle-class shoppers and prides itself on stocking locally-sourced products, has said it wants to open 16 new stores in the next five years.

Sainsbury's has previously unveiled a massive expansion into Edinburgh's "urban villages" and last year revealed plans to open 12 new Local stores in Edinburgh in the next two years.

Tesco, Aldi and Lidl are also known to be looking for new sites in the Capital.

Tom Johnston, head of retail in Scotland at property firm Colliers International, said: "Certainly Waitrose are acquisitive. I believe the stores they already have in Edinburgh are successful and that is encouraging them to rev up their expansion plans.

"Convenience stores are everywhere these days. People seem to work longer and harder and ready meals are frequently eaten, so they are opening more of these stores.

"If they're looking around St Andrew Square, Waitrose are obviously looking to accommodate the office market. I know the Sainsbury's there trades well so it's no surprise if competitors are moving in."

A spokesman for Waitrose confirmed that the company was looking to increase its presence in Scotland, but he added that the firm was focused on opening new supermarkets rather than convenience stores.

Meanwhile, Whole Foods Market has confirmed that it is looking at sites in Edinburgh and across Scotland. A spokesman said: "Whole Foods Market are actively searching for sites in Scotland and the rest of the UK, but we have no sites to announce at this time."