John Lewis has announced the permanent closure of eight more stores, including department stores in York, Peterborough, Sheffield and Aberdeen, and 'at home' shops in Ashford, Basingstoke, Chester and Tunbridge Wells, putting nearly 1,500 jobs at risk. The staff-owned group reported its first-ever full-year loss earlier this month.
All affected stores are currently closed due to the government's coronavirus lockdown and will not reopen when restrictions ease on 12 April. The closures come after eight stores were shut in 2020, as online shopping now accounts for three-quarters of sales.
Chairman Sharon White said: 'Today’s announcement is incredibly sad news for our affected partners, for our customers and for the communities we’ve served over many years. The high street is going through its biggest change for a generation and we are changing with it.'
Sheffield city council, which paid £3m to John Lewis last year to retain the store, said the retailer remains tied to the lease and must pay to exit. The company will offer affected staff a £3,000 retraining fund and redundancy payments.
John Lewis also plans to outsource its Waitrose distribution centre in Leyland, Lancashire, to logistics firm XPO, affecting 436 staff who will lose their 'partner' status and bonus scheme access.
