John Lewis sales rise 7.1% despite Olympics effect

Department store group John Lewis has reported a rise in sales for last week, but its stores in London and the south of England continued to suffer in comparison with last year, when trading was boosted by the Olympics.

The employee-owned retailer said sales for the week to 10 August grew to £65 million, 7.1 per cent higher than a year ago, with many of its stores delivering double-digit increases as shoppers snapped up cameras and bedding.

Freddie George, retail analyst at Cantor, said: “We see these as a good set of figures for the department stores after a poor week and considering they were up against last year’s second week of the London Olympics.”

Chester topped the table with a 24.6 per cent jump, while Glasgow was the firm’s best-performing store in Scotland, with sales up 14.8 per cent compared with last year.

At its two other branches north of the Border, Edinburgh grew 9.9 per cent, closely followed by Aberdeen at 9.6 per cent.

However, its Stratford City store, next to the Olympic village, suffered a 45.3 per cent plunge in takings.