Waitrose, Marylebone
Store Refurbishment
Project Overview:
This 10-week full refurbishment of one of Waitrose’s flagship Central London stores involved a complete strip-out of the sales floor back to shell before works could begin. The project was delivered during a full store shutdown and required exceptional planning and execution due to its high-profile location and challenging logistical constraints
Project Highlights:
- Prime Central London Location: With no parking, no external loading bay, and only a small internal turntable for deliveries, all materials and waste had to be managed under tight timeframes and strict controls.
- Logistical Coordination: The store’s rear access was shared with other commercial units, and the surrounding area residential – requiring wait-and-load systems, no night work, and careful management to avoid disruption.
- Landlord Interface: Works involved passing services through a landlord-owned basement car park, occupied by high-value vehicles. Weekly coordination meetings were held to maintain access and avoid costly issues.
- Sustainability Upgrade: This was the first Waitrose store to incorporate a full CO₂ refrigeration system, marking a significant step forward in sustainability and operational efficiency.
- Full Interior Fit-Out: The store was fully refitted to Waitrose’s latest specification, delivering an elevated customer experience across all areas of the shop floor.
Conclusion:
Waitrose Marylebone stands out as one of the best-delivered schemes in SB Construction’s portfolio. Despite the complex logistics and challenging working conditions, the final result was a flawless, high-spec retail space that was handed over on time and to exceptional standards. The store reopened to a long queue of happy customers and is now a benchmark for future urban retail refurbishments
