After months of work from contractors Barr Construction, the 25,000 sq ft supermarket and fuelling station opened at 8am this morning.

Cutting the ribbon and officially opening the new shop was Councillor Vivien Dance with Tanya McVey and Chloe McGinley, two local girls who were recruited as apprentices for the new store. This latest opening is a milestone for Waitrose — 109 years after Waite, Rose and Taylor opened the business’s very first grocery shop in Acton, London, in 1904.

The original trio opened their modest shop to challenge the unscrupulous practices for which the grocery trade was renowned at the turn of the 20th century.

Today, the business has six supermarkets in Scotland, as well as a growing presence in the North of England, Wales and the South West.

As part of the Community Matters scheme, Waitrose will donate £1,000 each month to three local charities in Helensburgh and Lomond — SSAFA, which supports members of the armed forces and their families, Centre 81 in Garelochhead and Parklands Primary School will benefit during the first month.

Opening the store, Councillor Vivien Dance, who has been a strong supporter of the development from the beginning, said: “Today is a landmark day for Helensburgh when it officially becomes a Waitrose town. “It is a great privilege to have been invited to officially open the 300th Waitrose store."