WAITROSE and John Lewis have hailed a “fantastic” start at their new Ipswich operation.

The development at Futura Park, which opened on November 8, is the first time a John Lewis at Home and Waitrose have opened alongside each other.

John Lewis says it handed out 2,500 Christmas catalogues over the first weekend of trading, while Heston’s Christmas puddings - the first item to be sold in either store - have proved popular. The cafe has also been a hit, with 2,129 hot drinks sold in the first three days.

Anna Moir, branch manager, John Lewis at Home, said: “The past week has been just fantastic! The atmosphere in the shop has been electric and we couldn’t have asked for a better reception from all the customers that came through the door, especially the 150 or so who queued up before we opened.

“Many customers have commented that they’ve waited over 30 years for John Lewis to come to Suffolk so it’s wonderful to be part of this process”.

Paul Reeley, branch manager, Waitrose, said: “The strong trading figures since opening have shown that Waitrose Ipswich has got off to a great start and we look forward to seeing how this progresses in the coming weeks. It is fantastic to see shoppers preparing for Christmas already, and taking the time to relax and enjoy the delicious hot products from the caf�! The team and I have worked hard over the last few months so it’s fantastic to see everything finally come together.”