THERE was dancing in the supermarket aisles last week as staff at a Petersfield store celebrated 25 years of trading.

Ten partners at Waitrose have worked at the Rams Walk store since it opened on September 7, 1993.

Teams from the retailer’s head office in Bracknell had just a fortnight to stock the shop as contractors handed over the keys on August 23.

Asked about their memories of opening day, current store manager Andy Compton and his colleagues uttered the same word: busy.

“I remember it being quite manic,” said Mr Compton, who began as a departmental manager in 1993 when Rod Emerson was at the helm. “It exceeded expectations and by January we were taking on extra staff to meet demand.

“They had to close the store twice because there were too many people inside,” said Jackie Burden, another ever-present.

The store has twice been expanded while the number of workers has increased from 156 to well over 200.

Lin Whyman, who began work at the deli counter, said it was “totally different” to her previous job at a local Co-op, while Debbie Betteridge believes the store offered shoppers new and exciting opportunities.

She said: “We didn’t have Tesco then and we needed a big store. There was a Gateway but this was so much bigger.”

She added: “I love working here and everyone is like a big family.”

Dee Turner, who started off as a cook at the supermarket, applied after seeing an advert in the Post and did her training in Ringwood.

She said: “It was busy, busy, busy from the word go and it was absolutely hectic and I remember a reception after we opened.”

Tam manager James Macmillan transferred from Ringwood to Petersfield when the latter opened.

“My parents lived in Clanfield so they were delighted when I moved back in,” he giggled. “Each store has their own lovely customers but Petersfield is a lovely place to work and live.”