If you think Formby is the only place for Waitrose, think again
Waitrose goods can be found hidden in plain sight in Speke(Image: Ray Bonsall/Liverpool ECHO )
As a shopping writer I spend a lot of time visiting supermarkets. Anyone that crosses my path will no doubt be hearing about my latest Lidl middle aisle find or my trip to Merseyside’s biggest Tesco. Plus of course, which supermarket has taken the crown in my various round ups of supermarket staple foods.
But one shop that rarely comes to mind is Waitrose, mostly because I’ve never seen one around. There is a branch in Formby but this is a long way to go from the city centre and hasn’t yet tempted me.
Until now, it seems most of my colleagues were also only aware of the one spot in Merseyside to shop for Waitrose products however we have all been mistaken.
There is in fact a lesser-known place to find Waitrose stock and it’s hidden in plain sight.
Among the vast expanses of Dobbie’s Garden Centre in Speke shoppers can find Waitrose products on sale. Excited by the thought of a new supermarket closer to home, I paid it a visit.
The store wasn’t immediately obvious and could have been mistaken for any other generic supermarket with a sort of service station shop feel.
But delving in, Waitrose branded products lining the shelves made it clear I’d landed at the elusive shop.
Dobbie’s website says that Waitrose stocks a “selection of its favourite products in Dobbies Foodhall” and so this isn’t a fully-fledged Waitrose supermarket but does stock a good amount of its essentials.
The cupboard essential aisle was well stocked (Image: Ray Bonsall/Liverpool ECHO )
A cupboard essentials aisle had a generous, albeit expensive, selection of olive oils, tinned goods like tomatoes and tuna, seasoning, olives and spreads.
Other aisles saw a large beer and wine offering plus plenty of tempting sweets, cakes and chocolates plus cleaning products like washing up liquid and soap.
There were fridge basics milk, yoghurt and cheese, plus tasty looking soups and ready to eat bits like potato salad. Frozen items included mixed veg and Quorn mince.
Although it wasn’t all Waitrose products that filled the shelves.
A frozen section had an array of ready meals from the brand COOK including chicken, ham and leek pie, lasagnes and Thai curries.
Frozen desserts included Sicilian lemon cheesecake and chocolate and salted caramel mousse. Other sweet brands could also be found in store such as Hotel Chocolat.
The frozen desserts were very tempting(Image: Ray Bonsall/Liverpool ECHO )
It’s hard to imagine coming here for a weekly food shop due for the same reason I wouldn’t visit a corner shop for more than a couple of items. It would be far from the cheapest option and stock was limited despite the few less common items like tahini and dried wild mushrooms.
While it definitely isn’t the same as visiting an actual Waitrose store, if you’re in for the full Dobbie’s day out it’s handy to know you can pick up your essentials at the same time.
The impressive frozen meals section and lots of treats make it a good bet for shoppers looking for convenience, impulsive treats or a quick fridge restock – but probably not the family food shop.