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How many John Lewis stores are closing and which ones will they be?

9 July 2020, 13:12 | Updated: 9 July 2020, 13:16

John Lewis are reportedly discussing which stores to keep open following the lockdown across the UK. Picture: PA

By Alice Dear

Which John Lewis stores are closing and where are they? Here's what we know...

John Lewis has revealed the locations of the branches that are considered unviable, putting 1,300 jobs at risk.

The department store confirmed that shops in Birmingham and Watford will not reopen as the coronavirus lockdown eases.

It also plans to shut down its At Home stores in Croydon, Newbury, Swindon and Tamworth and travel sites at Heathrow airport and St Pancras station.

Since the lockdown was announced in March, John Lewis have made 400 members of staff redundant, while 14,000 have been furloughed.

John Lewis' sales were down 23 per cent in January from the previous year. Picture: Getty

The brand also own Waitrose, who have been able to stay open during the lockdown due to it being an "essential shop".

Which John Lewis stores are closing in the UK?

The following John Lewis stores will be closed:

Flagship outlets in Birmingham and Watford

Travel hub outlets at Heathrow airport and St Pancras station

Four of the group’s 'At Home' format stores in Croydon, Newbury, Swindon and Tamworth.

John Lewis currently have 50 stores across the UK. Picture: PA

The lockdown has not come at a good time for John Lewis, whose sales were down 23 per cent in January from the previous year.

In a statement, the company said: “Prior to the pandemic, the eight shops identified were already financially challenged and the pandemic has accelerated the switch from shopping in-store to online. Before the virus struck, 40 percent of John Lewis sales were online. This could now be closer to 60 to 70 percent of total sales this year and next.”

It added: “If redundancies are confirmed, every effort would be made to find new roles where possible for Partners who wish to remain within the Partnership. Opportunities could include transferring to local Waitrose shops or working for johnlewis.com and waitrose.com as they continue to grow."