Here’s where it gets surprising. There are two days a year when Waitrose pulls down the shutters completely: Christmas Day and Easter Sunday. Bank Holiday Monday? That’s just a regular Monday with a posh name.
But wait! What about the Little Waitrose in city centres? These are the tiny, boutique siblings, often found near train stations. They sometimes play by their own rules, shutting up shop entirely if the footfall is too sleepy. It’s a delightful game of supermarket roulette.
I once walked into a Central London Little Waitrose on a Bank Holiday and found a single, heroic deli counter worker explaining the merits of a £12 cheese to an empty store. Dedication, I call it. Others call it madness.
How to Avoid a Tragedy (and a Hangry Walk of Shame)
Your first move is common sense, but let’s be dramatic anyway. Do not, I repeat, do not just drive to your local Waitrose on a wild guess. You will find yourself staring at a locked door, clutching a reusable bag for life, weeping softly as a seagull judges you.
Instead, use the Store Locator on the Waitrose website or app. It’s like a crystal ball, but for opening times. Punch in your postcode and it will reveal the sacred hours for your specific branch.
Waitrose opening hours for August Bank Holiday Monday - Mirror Online
Alternatively, you can call them. Yes, like a human from the 1990s. A very polite voice will confirm that yes, they are open, but the olive bar will be closed because the person who knows how to pit them is on holiday. Devastating.
