Waitrose Moving to Van Hage

News and views on shopping in the county town.
codek2
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Re: Waitrose rumour

Post by codek2 » Wed 19 Feb, 2014 1:41 pm

it does have to be said though, that the waitrose site would make an AMAZING nandos!

:D

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Ted Badger
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Re: Waitrose rumour

Post by Ted Badger » Wed 19 Feb, 2014 2:04 pm

Steve wrote:
Ted Badger wrote:
codek2 wrote:agreed, i see no reason waitrose hertford would close either...
As this is a rumour thread rather than anything based in fact, I can contribute that I thought their lease expired this year and they were considering alternatives to renewing it.
Their lease does not expire this year or next. This is fact, not rumour (so possibly off topic ;) ).
Phew! That's cleared that up then!

:)

daskier
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Re: Waitrose rumour

Post by daskier » Wed 19 Feb, 2014 7:23 pm

http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/N ... 171657.htm" target="_blank

Rumour no more. Doesn't sound like anything is decided yet but it's a possibility.

Golden
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Re: Waitrose rumour

Post by Golden » Wed 19 Feb, 2014 7:35 pm

Slightly surprised they're thinking of a large store at VH as I wouldn't have thought planning permission would be easy for an out of town store - even though its on the site of an established retail outlet a supermarket is different to a garden centre, I'd imagine some of the locals may be quite upset too with the disruption from building and extra traffic. I'd be disappointed if Waitrose were to move out as I favour them but wouldn't journey to Ware to shop as I prefer to walk to shop; it would be the end for Bircherly Green in my opinion but something had to give when Sainsbury's was given the green light and as well as being small the Hertford shop is looking a bit tired.

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Steve
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Re: Waitrose rumour

Post by Steve » Wed 19 Feb, 2014 7:43 pm

Golden wrote:Slightly surprised they're thinking of a large store at VH as I wouldn't have thought planning permission would be easy for an out of town store - even though its on the site of an established retail outlet a supermarket is different to a garden centre, I'd imagine some of the locals may be quite upset too with the disruption from building and extra traffic. I'd be disappointed if Waitrose were to move out as I favour them but wouldn't journey to Ware to shop as I prefer to walk to shop; it would be the end for Bircherly Green in my opinion but something had to give when Sainsbury's was given the green light and as well as being small the Hertford shop is looking a bit tired.
There's never any shortage of customers whenever I go in there. Sainsbury's appears to have had little effect in my experience. As I said before, why close a successful outlet? Most of their trade is on foot I would imagine, so any closure would not benefit a store 4 miles away.

Golden
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Re: Waitrose rumour

Post by Golden » Wed 19 Feb, 2014 8:30 pm

They were my thoughts too Steve - I can't understand why Hertford would have to close unless its losing money already and they've been looking to shut the store for a while? I'd envisaged any store at VH being like he motorway type stores they've opened. The Hertford store seems to be even busier in the past few months in my experience.

Mrs T
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Re: Waitrose rumour

Post by Mrs T » Wed 19 Feb, 2014 8:32 pm

Steve wrote:
Mrs T wrote:There is a post on spotted saying Waitrose is closing in Hertford and a new one is being built as part of Van Hagues.
Complete twaddle.


Anyway Steve, as to my original post wich you dismissed: hmmmmmmmm!

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Steve
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Re: Waitrose rumour

Post by Steve » Wed 19 Feb, 2014 9:25 pm

Mrs T wrote:
Steve wrote:
Mrs T wrote:There is a post on spotted saying Waitrose is closing in Hertford and a new one is being built as part of Van Hagues.
Complete twaddle.


Anyway Steve, as to my original post wich you dismissed: hmmmmmmmm!
Half twaddle, I'll give you that.

However, at the time of the original post there was absolutely no evidence to support the rumour. In the meantime and following VH's post on Facebook and the report in The Mercury there is now confirmation that the two businesses are working together on something. However, there is still nothing to support rumours that Waitrose in Hertford would close as a result of any new store 4 miles away. That's a bit like suggesting that Ware Tesco would close when the Hertford store opened 30 years ago.

I think it's always important to distinguish between idle gossip and fact.

And having since looked up the definition of "twaddle" I could have used more accurate word :)

Donostia
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Re: Waitrose rumour

Post by Donostia » Wed 19 Feb, 2014 10:07 pm

A Waitrose spokesman said: “There is a long way to go, but if we were to get a planning consent in the future for a store at Great Amwell, it would see the relocation of Waitrose Hertford, however we will look at whether it will be feasible to retain a presence in Hertford as well.
If I was a cynic I would say they already know the answer to their feasibility study .

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Steve
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Re: Waitrose rumour

Post by Steve » Wed 19 Feb, 2014 11:30 pm

Donostia wrote:
A Waitrose spokesman said: “There is a long way to go, but if we were to get a planning consent in the future for a store at Great Amwell, it would see the relocation of Waitrose Hertford, however we will look at whether it will be feasible to retain a presence in Hertford as well.
If I was a cynic I would say they already know the answer to their feasibility study .
This is from a new report in The Mercury that appeared late this afternoon and adds to the earlier report.

http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/N ... 171657.htm" target="_blank

And yes, I think you are being a cynic - you're the one who already appears to know the answer to the feasibility study :) . I know that the town council and Diego would bend over backward to keep Waitrose in Bircherley Green. They have the same status as the ravens at The Tower Of London. There's still a number of years to run on their lease and a planning application for Van Hage's hasn't even been submitted yet, let alone approved and the store built, none of which are certain until they happen. The Hertford store has a respectable footfall. Any store at Van Hage's would be accessed almost exclusively by car, which is not something the local planning authority would be keen on when we're trying to encourage retail development within towns, not outside of them.

It's very early days yet, but some people would prefer to draw their own conclusions rather than deal with uncertainty.

:)

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