HELENSBURGH’S Waitrose supermarket will close its doors for the last time this weekend – and it looks as if local shoppers will face a lengthy wait before the building reopens in its new guise.
The last Waitrose customers will leave the Cardross Road store on Sunday evening, following the announcement last month that the site has been sold to rival chain Morrisons.
Waitrose says that 22 ‘partners’ at the store – 20 per cent of its total Helensburgh workforce – will be redeployed to other locations, meaning that 88 people will lose their jobs.
But it’s likely to be well into the summer, at the earliest, before Morrisons is even able to start work on getting the building ready for its new Helensburgh customers.
According to the town's MSP, Jackie Baillie, Waitrose will retain ownership "for a period" while its fixtures and fittings are removed.
READ MORE: Morrisons confirms it has bought site of Waitrose's Helensburgh supermarket
A Morrisons spokeswoman said this week: “We understand that Waitrose has decided to close its Helensburgh store on Sunday.
“We now await handover of the unit, which we expect will be this summer.
“We will then start our work to transform the store into a Morrisons.
“Morrisons will serve the community of Helensburgh through doorstep deliveries either online, via our telesales service or from our popular food box service.
“We would encourage people to make use of these as we move closer to opening our new store.”
READ MORE: 'Morrisons to replace Waitrose in Helensburgh', two MSPs tell the Advertiser
Local politicians and business chiefs, who previously expressed concern at the potential disruption to the supply of food and other essential supplies in Helensburgh during the coronavirus lockdown, have repeated their plea to Morrisons to work as quickly as possible on getting the store ready for business again.
Jackie Baillie, Helensburgh and Lomond’s constituency MSP, said: “I know that local people were anxious for Waitrose and Morrisons to work together to ensure that the area was not left without access to essential provisions during this uncertain time.
“I spoke to Waitrose on a number of occasions to try and ensure that they extended their closing date, but they were not willing to do so.
“As I have discovered, although the doors may be closing on May 3, Waitrose still retains ownership of the shop for a period, during which time fittings and fixtures will be removed.
“Only then will ownership be transferred to Morrisons. I have therefore urged Morrisons to open the store as quickly as possible.
“I hope that Morrisons will want to start as quickly as possible and my initial conversations with them have been encouraging.
“Local people – especially the most vulnerable among us – need to be properly supported as the current crisis continues and access to food is a fundamental concern.”
West of Scotland Conservative MSP, and Helensburgh resident, Maurice Corry said: “Waitrose has been a fantastic addition to Helensburgh, and it is great Morrisons is set to replace the services on offer.
“More than 1,000 Waitrose supporters, and myself, in our area were very successful in bringing Waitrose to Helensburgh with a modern and UK leading retail experience and nearly 200 jobs.
“This is now to be continued by Morrisons, with our second fuel station as well.
READ MORE: Disappointment all round as Waitrose says no to Helensburgh store closure delay pleas
"I hope that as many Waitrose staff as possible will be taken on by Morrisons, which I have pushed for in my discussions with them.
"It is still very early days and I know Morrisons are developing their plans quickly to assist the town however they can in maintaining the services as seamlessly as possible.
“I will continue to work closely with them to help in any way I can, to ensure the town is well catered for as quickly as possible.”
Vivien Dance, chief executive of the Helensburgh and Lomond Chamber of Commerce, said of Waitrose’s six-and-a-half years in the town: “It was extremely good while it lasted.
“The Chamber’s first thoughts, as the Sunday closure is almost upon us, are with all the staff who will lose their jobs.
READ MORE: 'Everybody is raging' – furious Waitrose staff react to Helensburgh closure news
“This could not have happened at a worse time for all of them as the nation is in lockdown and the majority of businesses closed.
“We wish all of you the very best and thank you for the excellent rapport you have created with the local community since the store opened.
“It has been a pleasure to shop in your store, and to know that Waitrose partners have always been involved with community projects – not only with generous financial support, which has donated over £100,000 to local groups since 2013, but also partner voluntary hours.
"The town will miss your input to Helensburgh life.
“Whilst we pay tribute to the staff, there is an acute sense of disappointment with Waitrose senior management, who have singularly failed to maximise the potential of the store over the last year or so, and are leaving the town in the middle of a pandemic when everyone else is pulling together to ensure that food supplies are there for anxious consumers.
READ MORE: Helensburgh 'reeling' from shock news that Waitrose store will close in May
"It speaks volumes about their attitude to their customers.
"Additionally, it also pays no recognition to the support and welcome Waitrose was given when the company first expressed an interest in the town in 2011, and is contrary to many of their stated corporate objectives.
“However, Helensburgh will move on, as always, and remember that this is not a closure – it is merely a change of owner, and in the meantime other suppliers will no doubt do their utmost to attract the Helensburgh pound in the weeks and months ahead.
“It must be very difficult for Morrisons at this time to be speaking constructively with the town about their plans for later in the year.
"They are no different to all suppliers in that they are in that they are working round the clock to keep stores open, safe and providing essential supplies.
READ MORE: It's official: Waitrose confirms 'unsustainable' Helensburgh store to close
“The Chamber looks forward to engaging with the company as plans can be confirmed for their trading in the town.
"We look forward to welcoming them and the economic boost and jobs they will bring, as we emerge from the devastating impact on local businesses that the lockdown has inflicted.”
Announcing the closure of the Helensburgh store in early March, Waitrose also said two other stores – in Four Oaks in the West Midlands and Waterlooville in Hampshire – would close.
However, the Four Oaks store has since earned a reprieve because of the pandemic.
It is now scheduled to close in September, while the Waterlooville store is scheduled to shut for the last time in mid-June.
READ MORE: Catch up with all the latest Helensburgh and Lomond news headlines here
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here