Spinneys has signed an agreement with DMCC to open a Waitrose at Uptown Place, making the British grocer the first confirmed retail tenant at the new development in Dubai's Uptown district, near Jumeirah Lakes Towers.

The store will cover more than 5,000 sq ft in a smaller convenience format. A full food-to-go deli for breakfast, lunch and quick bites will sit at its centre, alongside everyday essentials and ready meals for the residents, office workers and visitors around it.

"Partnering with DMCC to bring Waitrose to Uptown Dubai marks an important step in expanding our presence across Dubai's most dynamic mixed-use hubs," said Sunil Kumar, CEO of Spinneys, which operates Waitrose in the UAE. He described the store as a convenience concept tailored to the location, "ensuring that food expertise and convenience are always within reach."

Uptown Place is anticipated to open in the first quarter of 2028, and no separate opening date has been announced for the store. The two towers will hold more than 560,000 sq ft of LEED Gold office space over 36 floors, with 82,000 sq ft of retail across 18 units, 1,600 parking spaces and a direct link to Sheikh Zayed Road. Next door, Uptown Tower's 495,000+ sq ft of offices are fully occupied.

"Welcoming Waitrose as the first retail anchor at Uptown Place marks a significant step in the development of Uptown Dubai," said Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and CEO of DMCC. He added that a business district needs a wider mix of retail, hospitality and everyday conveniences, and that Uptown Place will take DMCC's Grade A office portfolio past one million sq ft.

Waitrose opened its first UAE store at The Dubai Mall in 2008 and now has 17 locations in the country.

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