The Great Cornish Food Store
2016 • 700 sqm • Project value £750,0000
Project Overview
The Great Cornish Food Store was a new, independent grocery concept created by founder Ruth Huxley to showcase the best of Cornwall’s food and drink producers. The site was part of a new-build Waitrose development on Duchy land and as a condition of planning permission, the building had to include a dedicated local food offer. Ruth tendered successfully to run the store and inherited an empty concrete shell across two floors, requiring a complete design, service layout and full fit out. With the pressure of an incredibly tight programme, a high-profile location and multiple stakeholders (including the Duchy of Cornwall and Waitrose owner, the John Lewis Partnership), Ruth needed someone who could translate a vision into a fully functioning store. After visiting the award-winning Gloucester Services, she knew she wanted to work with Jane, who had led the design and fit out of both Tebay and Gloucester Services during her time as Head of Design at Westmorland Family.
The brief was to turn a raw shell into a warm, inviting, operationally efficient food store that championed Cornish suppliers while standing shoulder-to-shoulder with national retailers on quality and presentation.
By the time Jane joined the project, the wider Waitrose build was already underway, meaning key design decisions needed to be made quickly to align with their construction programme. This is a familiar scenario in new-build retail projects and Jane worked collaboratively with Ruth and the Waitrose team to fast-track the initial layout, ensuring counter positions, operational areas and service routes were clearly defined.
Her role included:
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Developing full front and back-of-house layouts
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Integrating the brand into the physical space through material and design choices
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Planning mechanical, electrical, cooling, heating and fire alarm systems
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Designing the upper-floor offices and storage spaces
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Coordinating drawings and technical information with the Waitrose & John Lewis teams, Duchy contractors on site and Duchy representatives
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Tendering all works and packages including producing drawings, specifications and working with Ruth to select suitable contractors.
With extensive experience in large-scale shopfits, Jane supported Ruth with specification and supplier coordination for specialist counters, layouts and retail lighting across the space. This included a full butchery counter, fish counter, deli counter, café counter and till points, alongside a fully equipped commercial kitchen to support café operations.
Jane also advised on the selection and specification of key building systems, including CCTV, fire and intruder alarms, shop security systems, intercoms, and integrated scale and till systems.
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The project faced several significant challenges that required careful management:
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Empty shell starting point: Only four walls and the roof were in place, with all services including water, gas and electric supplied only to meters clustered in one corner.
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Intensive technical fit out: Full mechanical and electrical services had to be designed and installed from scratch.
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Tight programmes: Waitrose’s build schedule dictated key service locations early, requiring quick decision-making.
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Remote construction environment: Contractor options were limited due to Cornwall’s rural location, requiring a multi-subcontractor approach.
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Late appointment: Jane joined the project later than ideal, meaning she needed to accelerate key design decisions while also establishing a realistic programme.
Despite these constraints, Jane coordinated the contractors, resolved technical issues on site and aligned the project with the standards expected by both the client and additional stakeholders.
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The Great Cornish Food Store opened as a high-quality, contemporary food retail destination that celebrated Cornish suppliers while delivering the operational efficiency required for a busy, modern grocery business.
The layout supports a smooth customer journey, strong product storytelling and efficient daily operations. The store has since built a strong reputation for quality and authenticity and stands as a successful example of how an independent operator can thrive within a national retail development.
From Our Client
"The Great Cornish Food Store owes a lot to Jane, and so do I. This was my first retail venture and Jane undertook far more than we had originally intended, project managing the design and build with me, liaising with multiple partners, suppliers and contractors.
Our timeframe was almost unrealistically ambitious and our budget tight. Jane rose to the challenge and designed a food hall that fitted my brief perfectly; it looked stunning, and was delivered on time and on budget. Eight years on, the design and materials have stood the test of time and we’ve had terrific value from Jane’s expert work."
RUTH HUXLEY,
FOUNDER, THE GREAT CORNISH FOOD STORE
