John Lewis & Partners shops in England and Wales will open their doors again next week as the latest set of Covid restrictions are relaxed.
The retailer will offer a range of services including opening changing rooms so people can try clothes on, measuring children’s feet for shoes, restarting nursery appointments for expectant parents and offering in-person home design and personal styling advice.
The Edinburgh shop, which has been refurbished, will open on 14 April and the Glasgow outpost will start trading on 26 April, if it is allowed by the Scottish government’s Covid-19 rules.
After reporting challenged annual results last month, Sharon White, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, said John Lewis & Partners has dialled up its focus on value and readjusted its entry price points ahead of reopening its stores.
The partnership reported a loss before tax of £517m for the 53 weeks prior to 30 January 2021 – a stark drop from the profit before tax of £146m in the previous year.
Pippa Wicks, partner and executive director at John Lewis, said: “We’re looking forward to reuniting customers with the joy of physical shopping, along with the excitement of our stores whilst also introducing our customers to stylish new products at prices they won’t expect.
“We’re also excited to be opening up much-needed services and helping customers choose those items that are harder to buy online – from the perfect mattress, to road testing the right pram or finding the right pair of jeans. We want to make sure the shopping experience is as fun and inspiring as it’s ever been, while also ensuring that our customers and Partners feel safe.”
John Lewis & Partners will also recommence its Beautycycle scheme, which recycles empty beauty packaging. Between 19 April and 2 May John Lewis will give customers £10 off beauty products for every five pieces of packaging they return in honour of World Earth Day.
As part of a partnership with the online vintage homeware platform Vinterior, the John Lewis store in Kingston will reopen next week with a special section selling restored mid-century furniture.
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