John Lewis plots High St fightback

Savile Row training for stylists Tech workshops for shoppers Rooftop bar open to midnight

JoHN Lewis has vowed to reinvent the department store as the retailer fights back against the threat of online shopping.

It has opened a store in oxford with a concierge service as well as on-site technology training workshops, an express nail and beauty bar and guided tours.

John Lewis has even launched its first personal styling service for men – and has given staff training by a Savile Row tailor to learn about dress sense, body shapes and colour.

Bosses hope the service will prove popular – particularly as a gift from wives looking to give their husbands a make-over.

The changes are part of a major shake-up of its operations as it tries to keep customers pouring through its doors amid a surge in online shopping.

The 120,000 sq ft store in oxford has 22 different services, and it is thought successful initiatives will be rolled out to the rest of its 48 shops in the country.

All 322 staff working at the store have also received theatre training at the oxford Playhouse to boost their confidence.

The shop marks the first key shift in strategy under boss Paula Nickolds, who is seeking to revive the 152-year-old chain in the face of fierce competition online.

The 44-year-old is under pressure to deliver a bumper Christmas this year, which will be her first official festive season since taking control in January.

So far her tenure at the retailer has been bumpy after a reported 53.3pc drop in half-year profits in September. At the time the retailer warned that Brexit had dented consumer confidence and the fall in the pound had pushed up costs, hitting profit margins.

Christmas, which is responsible for around 40pc of John Lewis’s profit, could be a turning point.

Nickolds (pictured) said: ‘our oxford shop is a place that aims to inspire and delight our customers.’

John Lewis’s free personal stylist service for men and women allows customers to book onehour express appointments for outfit styling sessions or sign up to a two-hour wardrobe revamp.

Its menswear stylists were sent to the London College of Style and received one-on-one training from a Savile Row tailor. John Lewis is also holding weekly in-store tech workshops to teach customers how to make best use of the latest gadgets. It has even launched an after-hours Scandinavian rooftop restaurant and bar.

It has invested £18m in the store, which stocks more than 55,000 products and 1,000 different brands.

John Mercer, analyst at Fung Global Retail, said: ‘John Lewis has always been heavy on service and this takes it a step further.

‘online is taking functional shopping so stores will be more about experiences and services.’