Save John Lewis Peterborough

The Issue

Firstly my thoughts go out to friends and employees of John Lewis across the country after the terrible news of more store closures today.

Having undergone a £21million refurbishment, how can a CEO justify closing the store? It's so shortsighted. The environmental and financial impact of the refurbishment, coupled with the environmental, economic, and social impact of the store now being closed is simply unfathomable. 

People have been prevented from leaving home to shop for the best part of 12 months. They have had no option other than to shop online. Covid has taught us lots, but one thing we've all learned is never to take social interactions for granted. People need the High Street more than ever to reignite their relationships with friends, families, colleagues and loved ones.

I am not sure this petition will have any impact but surely give the store and its employees, the locals, the loyal customers, a chance to walk back through the doors, to show their support and ensure they still have shops on the High Street to visit. 

In a world where mental health is on the rise, we all need safe places to go. John Lewis Peterborough was the heart and soul of the city. So much more than a shopping experience for many.

Although I have shopped more online in the last 12 months, nothing beats mooching around a store, meeting a friend, trying on a new dress or rushing for the Christmas sales. An in-store experience is not replicated with online shopping. 

Perhaps there might be a chance, with enough interest, to make Sharon White rethink these ludicrous decisions. 

Have your say. Sign the petition and see if we can make a difference.

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Emily WagstaffePetition Starter
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This petition had 10,510 supporters

The Issue

Firstly my thoughts go out to friends and employees of John Lewis across the country after the terrible news of more store closures today.

Having undergone a £21million refurbishment, how can a CEO justify closing the store? It's so shortsighted. The environmental and financial impact of the refurbishment, coupled with the environmental, economic, and social impact of the store now being closed is simply unfathomable. 

People have been prevented from leaving home to shop for the best part of 12 months. They have had no option other than to shop online. Covid has taught us lots, but one thing we've all learned is never to take social interactions for granted. People need the High Street more than ever to reignite their relationships with friends, families, colleagues and loved ones.

I am not sure this petition will have any impact but surely give the store and its employees, the locals, the loyal customers, a chance to walk back through the doors, to show their support and ensure they still have shops on the High Street to visit. 

In a world where mental health is on the rise, we all need safe places to go. John Lewis Peterborough was the heart and soul of the city. So much more than a shopping experience for many.

Although I have shopped more online in the last 12 months, nothing beats mooching around a store, meeting a friend, trying on a new dress or rushing for the Christmas sales. An in-store experience is not replicated with online shopping. 

Perhaps there might be a chance, with enough interest, to make Sharon White rethink these ludicrous decisions. 

Have your say. Sign the petition and see if we can make a difference.

avatar of the starter
Emily WagstaffePetition Starter
Media enquiries

The Decision Makers

Pippa Wicks, Partner & Executive Director, John Lewis
Pippa Wicks, Partner & Executive Director, John Lewis
Responded
“We recently announced proposals to close eight John Lewis shops where we can unfortunately no longer profitably sustain a store. Our ambition, and expectation, was that we would remain part of the communities for many years to come and continue to serve our customers there - something we have taken great pride in. I therefore share in the huge disappointment that the news has caused so many people. The strength of feeling from our customers and the communities we serve underlines what a difficult decision proposing to close in these locations has been. However, we are sadly not immune to the well-known challenges facing so many businesses. The high street is going through its biggest change for a generation and we, like many others, have to adapt and change with it in order to ensure the John Lewis Partnership has a sustainable future. The eight shops we’re proposing to close were financially challenged prior to the pandemic and its effects, including three successive lockdowns and the acceleration of the switch to online shopping, has meant the impact on the future viability of these stores is too great. The difficult reality is that, despite the outstanding efforts of everyone working in these shops and the commitment of our customers, we do not believe the performance of the store can be financially improved. We will shortly discuss the planned closure in more detail during consultation with those affected. If we do close, we will make every effort to find them new roles in the Partnership and we have put together a package of support to help our colleagues. I appreciate my response is not the one you wanted to hear, but I can assure you that closing any shop is always a last resort and not something we do without exploring all alternatives first. Lastly, I would like to express my thanks to all our customers at the eight shops for their loyalty and again to everyone who has taken the time to contact us. Pippa Wicks, Partner & Executive Director, John Lewis”
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Petition created on 24 March 2021