Chelsea’s Partridges Store Is Closing After 53 Years

Independent fine food store Partridges has been an integral part of Chelsea for over half a century, but this February the King’s Road stalwart will be closing its doors.

Independent Food Shop Partridges To Relocate Its Chelsea Store

Located in Duke of York Square, Partridges is one of the few family-run food shops in central London, known for selling top-quality food from British producers and further afield. However after an impressive 53 years, the Chelsea store will shut on 2 February 2025. The Gloucester Road outpost will remain open, though, and there are plans for a new shop to open in autumn this year at an undisclosed location.

Partridges is one of Chelsea’s best-loved local spots. The company was founded by Sir Richard Shepherd, who opened the original food store on Sloane Street on 25 May 1972. Its initial slogan was ‘good things for the larder’, with long opening hours and a free bicycle delivery service making it a convenient place to shop. The shop quickly soared to popularity, garnering a reputation for selling the finest artisan food and wine in the area.

A few years later, in 1981, Richard handed over the reins to his younger brother, John, who continues to head up the business today. Over the years, Partridges went from strength to strength, securing a Royal Warrant as Grocers to Queen Elizabeth II in 1994. A second branch opened in Gloucester Road in the late 1990s, and in 2004 the Chelsea store relocated to its current location in Duke of York Square, and introduced a weekly market on Saturdays, the Duke of York Square Fine Food Market.

More recently, the business has shifted its focus to environmental initiatives, recently achieving carbon neutrality for both stores, as well as the Planet Mark Business Certification. And in 2024, Partridges was granted a new Royal Warrant, this time from King Charles III.

‘We are very sad to be leaving Chelsea after an incredible 53 years serving local residents,’ says owner John. ‘Although our Chelsea chapter is coming to an end we are looking forward to building Partridges in smaller and more sustainable shop formats across London.

‘We are very proud to have recently achieved carbon neutrality for both our Chelsea and Gloucester Road stores, we have received a new Royal Warrant from King Charles and we have supported several hundred small artisan businesses by creating and curating the fine food market on the Duke of York Square on nearly 1,000 Saturdays. We send all the traders our very best wishes for the future. 

‘Partridges has also been a force for good in the local community supporting many local charities and good causes and raising over £30,000 for the Children’s Surgery Foundation. At the heart of our success though lies our experienced and knowledgeable team of staff, who we thank enormously for all their years of service. We hope that this is not goodbye and that many of our current customers will venture over to Gloucester Road to visit us there.’

Find out more at partridges.co.uk