Hove Waitrose Reopens Nearly Two Months After Fire

A Waitrose store in Hove has reopened its doors nearly two months after a major fire caused significant damage to the supermarket.

The branch on Nevill Road was forced to close after East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service was called at around 3.45am on 16 June to reports of a warehouse fire.

Ten fire engines attended at the height of the incident.

The fire service said there were no reported casualties.

The store was closed for more than five weeks while repair work was carried out.

Waitrose says staff at nearby branches helped keep online deliveries running during the closure by taking on additional orders and supporting distribution operations.

A temporary warehouse has now been built at the Hove store, allowing customers to return while further repairs continue.

Branch manager Nick Mort said staff had worked hard to get the shop ready to reopen and praised colleagues who had helped with the recovery.

However, some parts of the store are not yet available.

The counters, café and toilets will remain closed for the time being while work continues.