John Lewis will reopen a quarter of its shops from 15 June onwards as it outlines plans of how the business will emerge out of lockdown.
Its department stores in Poole and Kingston will open on 15 June, followed on 18 June by Bluewater, Cambridge, Cheadle, Cheltenham, High Wycombe, Horsham, Ipswich, Norwich, Nottingham, Solihull and Welwyn.
These branches have been selected to open due to their accessibility by car.
More shops may open throughout the summer “depending on the response from customers and partners to our new ways of operating”, the retailer said.
Before opening, each shop will undertake a four-week reopening preparation programme, including preparing systems, replenishing and counting stock, and staff training.
The retailer said “rigorous safety and social distancing measures” would be put in place in stores, including:
- The introduction of a “customer service host” who will manage queues at entrances and busy areas of the shop
- Reducing the number of shop entrances
- Caps on the number of customers entering stores
- Protective screens at checkouts
- Hand sanitiser at entrances for customers to use
- Close-contact beauty services will not be offered and fitting rooms will remain closed.
Sharon White, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, said: “The momentous events of the last few months have tested our resilience as a business, but our resourcefulness, innovation and the spirit of cooperation between partners has really shone through.
“However, while we have experience of social distancing in our Waitrose shops, we will need to establish new ways of working in our department stores. We are taking this cautious approach to be able to learn as we go and to make sure that our shops are as safe as they can possibly be for our customers and partners.”
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