A Waitrose store was officially opened last week by the town’s local Mayor, which has created 152 jobs for local people.
The Waitrose commercial property, which is located next to the train station, was officially opened on 30th August by Cllr Sue Hodder, the Mayor of Alton.
“I am delighted to welcome Waitrose to Alton, which I believe will be a positive addition to the local community.
“The new jobs created have boosted local employment, with 85% of those employed living within a 10 mile radius of the new shop,” the Mayor said.
Like other Waitrose stores, the branch will allow customers to place little green tokens in a box which will benefit a chosen charity. Each month £1000 will be divided between the three charities. The first three charities to benefit from the scheme are:
Richard Tudor-Thomas, Branch Manager said: “Our Community Matters scheme and Partner Volunteering are great ways to support local causes and have a positive impact in the community. We have created 152 jobs and were really pleased to receive such a positive response when we advertised the roles.
“We have a very enthusiastic team who are eager to put their training from the last few weeks into practice and welcome customers into the new branch.”
As part of Waitrose’s expansion plans, the company wants to open a minimum of 20 commercial properties this year. The new openings will include both little and large stores. Currently the company has 280 stores throughout the UK. Other recent openings include Stratford upon Avon, Fulham Palace and Wiltshire.
