Leeds flagship John Lewis store '˜will champion local brands'
The Victoria Gate outlet is on track to open this autumn and it has already started the recruitment process.
And managing director Andy Street told the Yorkshire Evening Post today: “We are looking forward to opening a flagship store in Leeds, the retail capital of the North.
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Hide Ad“The store will have new fashion concepts and we’ll be introducing unknown fashion brands. We will also be looking for local fashion suppliers.
“We’ll be bringing brands to Leeds that aren’t there already.”
Victoria Gate will be one of the John Lewis Partnership’s biggest stores outside London.
The scheme is being billed as the latest piece in the jigsaw of the complete regeneration of Leeds city centre.
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Hide AdMr Street was speaking as the John Lewis Partnership announced an 11 per cent fall in annual profits amid tough trading conditions.
The company made a profit of £306m for the year to January 30. That was within guidance of between £270m and £320m, but down from last year’s £343m.
The group said it would pay its 91,500 staff, who ultimately own the company, an annual bonus of 10 per cent of salary, down from 11 per cent last year. It said the partnership bonus of £145m was equivalent to five weeks’ pay.
John Lewis has outperformed its rivals for the past few years. However, the latest profits were hit by pension charges that rose by £48.2m on the previous year. Trading conditions will remain difficult, especially in food retailing, but the company expects to perform comparatively well against its rivals.
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Hide AdThe group said it has made a good start to 2016. Its upmarket Waitrose supermarkets recorded a 0.4 per cent rise in like-for-like sales and its John Lewis department stores saw a 3.6 per cent increase in like-for-like sales.