Left: Doddle’s parcel shop at London Waterloo
Doddle has opened its latest store on platform 12 at London Paddington station. The new store is the 35th to open in the space of 35 weeks as part of a nationwide roll-out which will see 100 outlets open by the end of 2015. Doddle hopes to increase this to 250 new locations by the end of 2017.
Doddle stores accept the delivery of online purchases from any retailer or carrier, enabling customers to collect parcels and return unsuitable purchases in a matter of minutes. Doddle stores are strategically located in hubs and rail stations, such as London Waterloo and London Victoria, to increase convenience for commuters.
The new Paddington Station store is open 7:00am to 8:00pm from Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm on Saturdays, and 11:00am to 5:00pm on Sundays and bank holidays.
Tim Robinson, CEO at Doddle, said, “Opening a new flagship Doddle store in one of London’s most famous stations is a really exciting moment for us. Missing a delivery is a real pain and costs the industry up to £4bn (US$6bn) a year, a cost which is inevitably passed onto consumers.
“We’re looking forward to doing our bit to help make online shopping a doddle by providing a convenient place for commuters and people working and living nearby to receive their deliveries and return unwanted items.”
David Biggs, managing director of property for Network Rail, Paddington’s operator, said, “More people are traveling by rail than ever before and stations have become more than just a place to wait for or get off a train. We’ve expanded the quality and quantity of the retail offer at our biggest stations such as Paddington and a new Doddle store is an exciting addition.
“The hundreds of thousands of passengers using Paddington station every day can now make use of this conveniently located parcel service and any profits we make are reinvested into the railway.”
June 4, 2015