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John Lewis has confirmed that a further eight stores are set to close and will not reopen their doors after lockdown eases. The move also puts 1,465 jobs at risk of redundancy.
“The high street is going through its biggest change for a generation and we are changing with it. Customers will still be able to get the trusted service that we are known for – however and wherever they want to shop.”
John Lewis continues to trade as normal online and will reopen all remaining stores when the lockdown eases.
Pippa Wicks, Executive Director for John Lewis, said: “Closing stores is the toughest thing we do as a Partnership because we all own our business. If the closures are confirmed, every effort will be made to find new roles for Partners and for us to continue to serve our customers by providing access to John Lewis in different ways.
“Alongside a growing online business and the expansion of next day Click & Collect, we will invest in our in-store services and experiences, as well as new, smaller neighbourhood formats and the introduction of John Lewis ranges in more Waitrose shops.”
This means that 34 stores will start reopening from April 12, with the exception of Glasgow, which will reopen on April 26, and Edinburgh on May 14.
John Lewis has said that it will enter into consultation about the 1,465 affected jobs and work to find alternative roles for as many staff members as possible.
The retailer is also trialling the introduction of John Lewis shopping areas in Waitrose stores and will also be testing new formats of smaller, local neighbourhood shops offering the best of John Lewis.
The retailer is introducing the new shopping areas in Godalming, Horley, Wallingford, Lincoln, and Lymington.
John Lewis added: “When we closed eight John Lewis stores last year, around a third of affected Partners were found permanent roles in the Partnership.
“Opportunities include transferring to local Waitrose shops or working for johnlewis.com and waitrose.com as they continue to grow.”
This comes as another blow to the UK high-street as consumer demand has turned online throughout the pandemic.
Thorntons recently announced it will be closing all of its stores after suffering financially.
In a statement the company said: “Like many companies, we have been operating for a long time in a tough and challenging retail environment.
“We have been committed to transforming and growing a successful Thorntons retail estate; this has included significant investments to open new format stores and cafes and ensuring we had stores in the right locations.
“The ongoing impact of COVID-19 and the numerous lockdown restrictions over the last year – especially during our key trading periods at Easter and Christmas – has meant we have been operating in the most challenging circumstances.
“We understand that this will be an uncertain and concerning time for our colleagues and we will actively support them during this period.”
Despite the store closures, Thorntons will still operate online, meaning fans can continue to get their hands on their favourite chocolate.
