The first Waitrose

The birth of Waitrose supermarket started here.

Location: 263 High Street, Acton Hill

Description: A bronze pavement plaque was unveiled here on 23 February 2005 to commemorate the first ever branch of Waitrose supermarket. It was known in 1904 as Messrs Waite, Rose and Taylor, and the site is now a pizza parlour.

This plaque was jointly sponsored by Ealing Civic Society with the Acton History Group and Waitrose Ltd.

Mr Taylor (of the original name) dropped out of the new business after a couple years and the new Waitrose business soon
expanded by purchasing the two shops (Nos 265 & 267) next door.

It was 9 years before they opened a second branch - in nearby Churchfield Road in 1913.

The made several innovative additions to the premises such as building a south facing second floor conservatory at the back for ripening bananas!

The original shops here on Acton Hill were sold after the First World War.

Waitrose was eventually bought out by the John Lewis Partnership in the 1930s, and the chain and brand has continued to grow.