Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
John Lewis has today (Friday, October 9) announced plans to open a new department store in Cheltenham in 2017.
With a combined investment of over £30m from John Lewis, BlackRock and Cheltenham Borough Council, the proposal will see the Beechwood shopping centre (owned by BlackRock) in Cheltenham transformed into a John Lewis department store.
Creating up to 250 jobs and offering more than 115,000sq ft of selling space across two floors, the shop will showcase fashion, home and consumer electronics concepts in a contemporary setting.
Tim Harrison, director of store development at John Lewis, said: “Cheltenham has long been a sought-after location for us and we’re delighted to be able to expand our reach to customers across the region for the first time. This new shop will provide more convenient access to our inspiring products and great service, and we’re looking forward to becoming part of the local community.”
John Benham, vice president of real estate at Blackrock, added: “This development improves Cheltenham as a shopping destination, increasing footfall within the town centre and encouraging other retailers to the area. At the same time, this ensures the long term viability of the site, creating long-term returns for our investors by improving the building and securing a high quality brand as a tenant.”
John Lewis operates 45 John Lewis shops across the UK (32 department stores, 11 John Lewis at home and shops at St Pancras International and Heathrow Terminal 2) as well as johnlewis.com. John Lewis typically stocks more than 350,000 separate lines in its department stores across fashion, home and technology. Johnlewis.com stocks over 280,000 products.
