John Lewis & Partners Peterborough announces £21m investment
John Lewis & Partners has announced details of a £21 million investment and refurbishment of its 93,000 sq ft Peterborough shop in the Queensgate shopping centre, due to be completed by January 2020. The refurbishment includes an overhaul and reconfiguration of the entire shop with improvements being made to all departments alongside the addition of exciting new features.
The investment in the shop forms part of John Lewis’s strategy to ensure its shops are destinations that offer an outstanding experience for its customers and a range of products which is increasingly unique to John Lewis.
While the work is taking place customers can take a virtual reality tour of their new-look shop using VR headsets that showcase all the shops new features, including the Style Studio, Experience Desk and Womenswear department.
Works are already underway behind the scenes to create a new Customer Collection Point, opening in August, that will be accompanied by a new external loading bay. This will offer customers both internal and external access for the collection point and will make collection easier for customers.
The upper ground floor will be home to an Experience Desk where specially trained Partners will provide a concierge-style service. These Partners will consult customers on their needs and help them book a number of different services that will be on offer in the shop from Personal Styling and Home Design to its Nursery Advice service.
In the new Womenswear department on the upper ground floor, the retailer will introduce a ‘Style Studio’, where customers can visit for a one on one personal styling appointment or a group style consultation. Customers will be able to choose their personal stylist and select from one of the five appointments: from holiday wardrobe refresh to help finding the perfect pair of jeans.
The Beauty Hall is being given a makeover in time for Christmas. This will see the introduction of new brands and a new beauty concierge-style service that puts Partners at the heart of the John Lewis Beauty offer. Customers will be able to seek independent advice across the full range of brands and products as well as being able to book in for a variety of services and consultation appointments.
A new ‘The Place to Eat’ will open with stylish new decor and a new menu on the first floor in autumn this year. During the refurbishment, the current ‘The Place to Eat’ will move to a temporary location on the first floor with a reduced menu.
Gary Rowntree, Head of Branch at John Lewis & Partners Peterborough, said: “As retail is changing it is important for us to respond to the needs of our customers. The investment in the shop will create new and exciting experiences, while giving our customers in Peterborough a new level of personalised and curated shopping.
“We want to thank our customers for their patience while the improvements are being made and we are very excited to unveil new sections of the shop as the work progresses. In the meantime, we will ensure our expert Partners are on hand to answer any questions over the upcoming months.”
Queensgate Shopping Centre is owned by Invesco Real Estate and managed by LendLease.
Guy Thomas, Head of Retail at Lendlease, commented on the plans for Queensgate: “The £60m extension, anchored by a ten-screen Empire Cinema, will sit alongside new restaurant brands and bring further opportunities whilst position Queensgate as a significant retail and leisure destination.
“The refurbishment works are just the initial phase of our plans. This is a very exciting time for Queensgate and the investment by retailers, such as John Lewis & Partners alongside new entrants to the scheme, signifies the strength of the regional catchment.”
The refurbishment forms part of the £60m extension of Queensgate. Set to be complete by Autumn 2021, the 77,000 sq ft extension will be anchored by a ten-screen Empire Cinema and will create 200 job opportunities, adding 10 per cent to the total number of people employed by Queensgate.
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Contact
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Notes to Editors
John Lewis & Partnersoperates 51 shops across the UK (37 department stores, 12 John Lewis at home and shops at St Pancras International and Heathrow Terminal 2) as well asjohnlewis.com. In the changing world of retail, John Lewis is focused on competing through differentiation and innovation in three key areas - unique own brand and exclusive products that customers cannot buy anywhere else, exceptional Partner-centric service and experiences, and its expanding range of financial and home services that wrap around everything it sells. John Lewis won Best Retailer, Best Electricals Retailer, Best Homewares Retailer and Best Furniture Retailer at the GlobalData Customer Satisfaction Awards 2019, and its Westfield White City shop won Best New Store at the Retail Week Awards 2019.
For news and updates from the John Lewis & Partners PR team, follow@johnlewisandpartnerspr
https://www.johnlewispresscentre.com/
Queensgate
Queensgate Shopping Centre was opened on March 9 1982 by Queen Beatrice of the Netherlands.
Located in the heart of Peterborough, it holds over 90 retail outlets that attract approximately 16 million people each year from local and regional areas.
Its anchor stores are John Lewis & Partners and Primark. Other retailers include Pandora, New Look, Smiggle, Joules, New Look, M&S, Superdry, Ernest Jones, Thomas Cook, Yankee Candle and new vegan restaurant When Polly Met Fergie. Following its refurbishment in 2015, the Westgate Arcade has increased occupancy, attracting a host of independent retailers and businesses to the scheme.
Queensgate Shopping Centre was bought by a fund managed by Invesco Real Estate and is managed by LendLease with JLL acting as property managers.
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