Flagship Leeds store boosts John Lewis

The upbeat assessment followed the news that the firm has cut its staff bonus for a fifth consecutive year​.

John Lewis and Waitrose staff will see bonuses cut to six per cent​ of their annual salary after the ​John Lewis Partnership warned of an “increasingly uncertain market” this year.

O​ne bright spot is the new Leeds store​, which has created 500 jobs in the area.

John Lewis​‘ new managing director Paula Nickolds​ told the YEP: “​Leeds ​is our most experience led store.

“This year we will open a roof top restaurant that will take advantage of the fantastic views​ of Leeds and make the most of the city’s night life.

​“Our Leeds store is all about creating a destination - a day out experience. That’s what department stores were all about. I’m delighted with all the elements of the Leeds store.”​

John Lewis Leeds ​is the retailer’s third s​tore in Yorkshire. Representing a £37m investment in Leeds, the 255,000 sq ft site anchor​s​ Hammerson’s Victoria Gate development. The shop feature​s​ more than 350,000 products across fashion, home and technology.

​The store is the retailer’s most service-led shop, offering more than 30 services, such as a beauty spa, a foreign exchange and home design service.

Ms Nickolds said the news of the staff bonus received “cautious applause” from staff - known as partners - who were told in January that their bonus would ​be “significantly lower” than last year in the face of a challenging market outlook. This has been​ partly linked to the collapse in the value of the pound since the Brexit vot​e.​

The cut will see 86,700 staff across the John Lewis Partnership share a £89.4​m bonus pot, down from £145​m last year.

The percentage payout ​i​s the lowest since 1954 when 4 per​ ​cent was paid.