Now John Lewis shuts its flagship Birmingham store for good

JOHN Lewis yesterday announced it has pulled down the shutters on its flagship Birmingham store for good.

The Grand Central in the heart of the city will be one of eight retail sites which will never reopen after the lockdown.

The retailer said the affected stores had already been facing huge financial challenges prior to the pandemic – and that shifts towards online shopping during the coronavirus crisis were the final nail in the coffin.

John Lewis said it would work with staff to find new roles where possible. The outlet, which opened in 2015 and cost £35million to build, employed nearly 400 staff.

In a statement, it said: ‘This is a very sad occasion and one that we never thought was imaginable when we first opened these shops.

‘Our expectation was that we would trade in these locations for many years to come, but they were financially challenged before the pandemic and we have not been able to find a way that would allow us to turn that around. We are grateful to those who have expressed their support since announcing the proposed closure last month, and for the incredible professionalism our partners have shown. They remain our absolute priority and will be fully supported over the coming weeks.’

West Midlands mayor Andy Street, who was once managing director of the retailer, yesterday said the firm ‘failed to make the most’ of the sprawling store.

Mr Street said he had been ‘astounded’ by the retailer’s decision not to reopen the Birmingham site, after he, together with city and economic leaders, put forward several ‘viable alternatives’.

But after a tense meeting with new John Lewis chairman Dame Sharon White yesterday, he conceded the store would no longer open.

The full list of stores closing are Croydon, Watford, Heathrow Terminal Two, St Pancras International, Birmingham, Swindon, Tamworth and Newbury.

‘A very sad occasion’