New Travel Essentials Shops by RELAY and Waitrose Arriving at Bristol Airport

Customers who travel to major European airports will already be familiar with the RELAY brand, which is the world’s largest network of newsstands and travel essentials stores, and can be found in more than 300 airports around the globe. RELAY will team up with leading UK brand Waitrose.  

The new flagship store, which will be co-branded RELAY and Waitrose, opens next summer and will be in the heart of the departure lounge with RELAY offering confectionery, drinks, newspapers, magazines, toys, and souvenirs conveniently alongside Waitrose Food To Go, which will feature a range of freshly prepared sandwiches, salads and wraps as well as snacks. 

Opening in early 2028 will be Tech2Go, selling technology travel essentials and hardware from leading brands such as Apple, Bose and Sony. It will include an instore demo zone where passengers can try before they buy.  

There will also be a dedicated Bookshop by RELAY with a wide range of the latest releases and best-sellers across both fiction and non-fiction. It will feature a thoughtfully designed space for customers to peruse and little window-style seats for children to sit and explore their favourite authors when it opens in summer 2028. 

And as customers head to the boarding gates, they will have an opportunity to buy any last-minute essentials such as food to go, drinks and snacks from a kiosk, which is also due to open in summer 2028. There will also be a co-branded RELAY and Waitrose store located before security for both arriving and departing customers.

Kate Gwyther, Head of Retail at Bristol Airport, said:

“We’re thrilled to be welcoming Lagardère Travel Retail to Bristol Airport. With RELAY, internationally recognised and Waitrose a much-loved British brand, this partnership will help form an elevated retail experience at the Airport. It’s a very exciting time, as we are carefully selecting a great range of brands, in order to offer our customers excellent choice. 

“We want our customers to feel as though their holiday has begun once they arrive and to enjoy the experience whether they are looking to treat themselves or their family, pick up an essential they’ve forgotten to pack or simply have some time to unwind and enjoy some retail therapy.”

Peter Newbould, CEO UK & Ireland, Lagardère Travel Retail, said:

“We’re absolutely delighted to be making our debut at Bristol Airport, England’s third-largest regional airport and one with exciting development plans. Its continued growth and transformation make this a particularly interesting time to be joining the Airport.

“We look forward to working closely with Bristol Airport, building on our understanding of its ambitions and passengers’ expectations to deliver the right offer and experience. With RELAY at the heart of the concept, the partnership with Waitrose will further strengthen the offer, bringing together complementary expertise to create an experience that appeals to Bristol’s passengers and supports the Airport’s ambition to enhance the experience across the terminal.”

Charlotte Di Cello, Waitrose Chief Commercial Officer, said:

“Following the success of the launch at Heathrow, expanding our partnership with RELAY into Bristol Airport is a significant next step in Waitrose’s travel retail growth. Bristol is a major hub for the South West, making it an ideal location to bring the Waitrose brand even closer to customers - offering everyday quality and convenience on the move, alongside our existing shops and online service.”  

This further complements the recent announcement that from next summer, four new restaurants will be arriving in the departure lounge including Bills, Bristol-born Cosy Club and international brand wagamama. All of this forms part of the next exciting phase of the Airport’s £400 million transformation plan, which will feature a more spacious departure lounge, almost doubling the number of shops and restaurants.