Way to go as Waitrose Helensburgh celebrates first birthday

And in the time since the branch has donated £12,000 through its Community Matters scheme to local good causes such as Helensburgh and Lomond Carers, Helensburgh Rugby Club, Centre 21, and the Helensburgh Christmas Festival, amongst others.

Schoolchildren have taken educational tours of the store, whilst Luss Primary School has taken part in the Grow and Sell scheme, which encourages children to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

Andy Loveday, branch manager of Waitrose Helensburgh, said the staff hope to build on this relationship with the surrounding communities.

He added: “In December we’ll be providing Christmas dinner to a large number of isolated and vulnerable people in the community, who would otherwise have spent Christmas alone. We’re also working with the newly-formed Helensburgh food bank.” A spokesman for the Helensburgh and Lomond Chamber of Commerce said it hasn’t coordinated any research into the impact of Waitrose coming to town, undoubtedly, every local retailer will have a ‘different tale to tell’.

He added: “There is some evidence that the ‘Helensburgh footfall’ in Dumbarton supermarkets is down, which may mean that more people are staying in town to shop, and that, in turn, may mean a bigger return for local shops. Again proper research would have to be done.

“Many local businesses have been affected by the CHORD project and until that work is complete and things have settled down there is no way of telling exactly what the Waitrose effect might be.

“However, Waitrose does not open stores in a location without first researching both the short and long term potential and Helensburgh should be proud of the confidence they have shown by opening in the town.” The store has created 180 jobs in the John Lewis Partnership, and in the shop’s first year several workers have finished high school and gone onto university – transferring to another branch in the process so they can continue to work in Waitrose while studying.

Mr Loveday said: “A number of partners have had life-changing events. Four babies were born, there have been a few engagements, a number of weddings and several partners passed their driving tests.

“It has been an eventful first year and we’re sure the years to come will be just as successful, for us and the community.” Staff at the store are taking advantage of Waitrose’s commitment to training with the specialist program, which gives workers a nationally-recognised diploma in meat, fish, wine or horticulture, and qualifies them to give customers ‘expert’ advice and assistance.

For example, Waitrose fish specialists are trained at London’s Billingsgate Seafood Training School and not only can they gut, clean and fillet fish, they also know how to cook every species sold in the branch.

Helensburgh councillor Vivien Dance said the first year of Waitrose has been a ‘great success’ with the development bringing retail choice, jobs, and environmental improvement at the entrance to Helensburgh.

She added: “Many charities have benefitted from the financial and community support that the Waitrose store and staff have given and we can all continue to enjoy the benefits of having this brand leader on our doorstep.

“One year on since I had the privilege of opening the store, I look back and reflect on the community campaign that had to be fought against the planning department who opposed this development all the way and think how worthwhile the battle was and I am sure this town will continue to gain great benefit from being a Waitrose town.” Councillor Maurice Corry said Waitrose has increased the quality of offering in the town and also acted as a large employer.

He added: “I think Waitrose has set a benchmark for shops in the town, and the shopping experience has improved overall.

“I was please to support this project from the beginning, along with Cllr Vivien Dance, and I am delighted to see the success it has become.

“Waitrose has also given us cheaper fuel prices with the Shell garage and we have gone from being one of the most expensive places in Scotland for fuel to one of the cheapest – so it’s a real double whammy. Long may it continue.” Waitrose Helensburgh is still the newest branch in Scotland. A new Waitrose branch at Milngavie is under construction and planning permission was recently granted for a store in Ayr.