John Lewis to shut stores

John Lewis Partnership has confirmed it will be shutting two of its Yorkshire stores as it closes eight stores across the country.

The retailer’s Sheffield store, which last year was said to be undergoing a refurbishment after a new 20 year lease was agreed, is said to be closing, bringing an end to a presence in the city of more than 70 years.

The business has also outlined plans to shut its store at the Vangarde shopping park.

It means 508 jobs are under threat in the region, with John Lewis to enter consultation with staff to try and find them new roles within the business.

The partnership, which also includes Waitrose supermarkets, had warned earlier this year that it did not expect to reopen all of its stores when lockdown lifts in April after revealing over half a billion pounds worth of losses.

It stated that all of the stores were “financially challenged” prior to the pandemic and that, “we do not think the performance of these stores can be substantially improved.”

The statement added the business was looking to “rebalance its store estate to reflect how customers want to shop” and that in Sheffield and York it could “no longer profitably sustain” stores.

Sharon White, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, said: “We appreciate this is incredibly difficult news for our Partners and the people of Sheffield and York.

“However, the pandemic has had an irreversible impact on retail and we must make difficult decisions to ensure the Partnership is sustainable in the future.

“If the proposal to close goes ahead, we have put together a package of carefully considered support to help our Partners and would look to redeploy as many as possible.”

Patrick Duffy, head of branch for John Lewis Sheffield, said: “John Lewis holds a special place in my and many people’s hearts in Sheffield, as we have had a presence in the city since 1940.

“We are incredibly proud of the long and valued legacy of service we’ve held in Sheffield and thank our customers for shopping with us over many years.

“I also want to thank our Partners for all their hard work as we continue to support them through the consultation period.”

Kylie Gilson, head of branch for John Lewis York, said: “It has been a huge privilege to work alongside such brilliant Partners at the Vangarde Shopping Park and it is with a heavy heart that we share the proposal to close the store.

“We hope that if the closure goes ahead we would still see many of our customers in nearby Waitrose shops and John Lewis Leeds.”

Reacting to news of the John Lewis closure in Sheffield, Mayor of Sheffield City Region Dan Jarvis, said: “This deals another blow to retail workers who are among those who have been hit hardest by the pandemic. My heart goes out to the workers and their families whose livelihoods are at risk.

“The store has been a cornerstone of the city’s retail offer for more than a century. I am working with John Lewis and Sheffield City Council to determine what this means for those whose jobs are now on the line and what can be done to support them.

“In challenging times, the people of Sheffield rally around each other and I know we will bounce back despite the challenges COVID throws at us.

It’s clear high streets need to adapt, and that’s why we’re taking unprecedented action to create jobs, help people retrain and revitalise our town and city centres.”