John Lewis puts nearly 1,500 jobs on the line with closure of eight department stores

A UK department store has reported that nearly 1,500 jobs are at risk as it closes eight stores across the country.

John Lewis, which currently has 42 stores across the UK, has confirmed today that eight of those will permanently close, putting 1,465 jobs at risk.

The affected stores include four ‘At Home’ shops, as well as two John Lewis stores in Yorkshire, and others in Aberdeen and Peterborough.

This follows the closure of eight of the brand’s stores last year.

The company said: “Having fewer bigger stores allows us to invest significantly to improve our remaining ones, showcasing our inspiring products with more space dedicated to experiences and services.”

Sharon White, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, commented: “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.”

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.”

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →