Round of closures bypasses city’s John Lewis store

HIGHCROSS CENTREPIECE SURVIVES, BUT MAJOR OUTLET IN BIRMINGHAM FACES AXE

LEICESTER’S John Lewis store will reopen once local lockdown is lifted, the retail giant revealed as it announced plans for closures nationwide.

News that the centrepiece store in the Highcross will reopen is a boost for the city’s battered economy, but the Midlands has not escaped unscathed.

The store in Birmingham’s Grand

Central is among eight that will close. The cuts will mean the loss of 1,300 jobs nationwide.

In a statement, John Lewis, which also owns the Waitrose chain, said that even before the coronavirus crisis, the eight shops identified were “financially challenged and the pandemic has accelerated the switch from shopping in-store to online”.

The statement added: “Before the virus struck, 40 per cent of John Lewis sales were online. This could now be closer to 60 to 70 per cent of total sales this year and next.”

Sharon White, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, said: “Closing a shop is always incredibly difficult and this announcement will come as very sad news to customers and Partners.

“However, we believe closures are necessary to help us secure the sustainability of the partnership - and continue to meet the needs of our customers however and wherever they want to shop.

“Redundancies are always an absolute last resort and we will do everything we can to keep as many

Partners as possible within our business.

“There are many reasons to be optimistic about the partnership’s future. Waitrose and John Lewis are two of the UK’s most loved and trusted brands and we have adapted to the challenges of the pandemic by responding to the new needs of customers.”

In addition to the Grand Central outlet, the stores to close are travel hub shops at Heathrow and St Pancras, four At Home shops in Croydon, Newbury, Swindon and Tamworth

and a department store in Watford.

Unaffected stores will reopen on June 30.

The statement from John Lewis added: “If redundancies are confirmed, every effort would be made to find new roles where possible for Partners who wish to remain within the partnership.

“Opportunities could include transferring to local Waitrose shops or working for johnlewis.com and waitrose.com as they continue to grow.”