Supermarket chain Waitrose to establish base at Boston garden centre

Dobbies' Boston branch is getting a Waitrose concession. Picture: Stewart Attwood

The business – which is owned by the John Lewis Partnership – is to have a dedicated area in the food hall at Dobbies, in Wainfleet Road.

It will replace Sainsbury’s, which has announced it is closing all its wholesale outlets.

In July, Waitrose revealed it was teaming up with Dobbies to reach new customers by growing its convenience business.

The vision was to establish a base at more than 50 branches of Dobbies across the UK, each offering 2,000 Waitrose products. It would be the first time it had supplied a garden centre retailer.

Edinburgh was first to receive a concession, then Atherstone, in Warwickshire, then Brighton; this week, a spokesman for Dobbies said its site in Boston was to join the growing tally before Christmas.

At the time of the partnership announcement, a spokesman for Waitrose said: “Customers will be able to choose from a wide selection of products, including our essential Waitrose range – the biggest value tier of any supermarket – plus our premium quality range, Waitrose No. 1 and Waitrose Duchy Organic.”

"Ready meals, free-from and vegan ranges, prepared fruit and vegetables, snacks and store cupboard staples will all be available,” they added.

For local fans of Waitrose, it will mean a significantly shorter journey than what it currently required to stock up on goods, with the nearest branches being in Lincoln and Peterborough.