Waitrose opened its first supermarket in eight years in Cricklewood, north London, on Thursday as part of a £1bn investment programme. A second supermarket will open in Hale Barns, Greater Manchester, next month. The upmarket grocer also plans to open four smaller stores in 2025. These include a supermarket in Oakham, Rutland, and three convenience stores in Bedminster, Bristol; Chalk Farm, London; and Springstead Village, Cambridge. The expansion marks a shift in strategy for Waitrose, which has focused on smaller convenience formats in recent years. The company has not disclosed details about store size, investment per location, or hiring plans in the supplied material.