Sun brings cheer to John Lewis results

BETTER weather helped John Lewis to herald "another fantastic week of trade" across its department stores, which posted a 15.9 per cent rise in sales in the week to 6 March.

Fashion and home were the two top departments, with gifts also selling well ahead of Mother's Day.

The chain's department stores in Edinburgh and Glasgow shared in the rise – up 5.3 per cent and 5 per cent respectively – but the Aberdeen branch was one of only two outlets to post a fall in sales, down 0.6 per cent.

Weekly sales at Waitrose, the employee-owned company's supermarket chain, rose by 12.1 per cent, accompanied by the opening of stores at Storrington, in West Sussex, and at three motorway service stations.