Scots stores lag behind the south

JOHN Lewis’s Scottish department stores were lagging behind their peers south of the Border in the week to 17 December, according to figures released yesterday.

The Glasgow branch posted a 9.4 per cent sales fall, with Edinburgh down 9.2 per cent and Aberdeen 1 per cent lower.

The declines compared with a 10.6 per cent rise for the chain as a whole in the UK. Retail director Andrew Murphy said: “In a challenging year this was an outstanding achievement, both in operational terms and as a testament to the popularity of our brand.”