John Lewis to maximise retail space use with office plan

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Jul 21, 2017

John Lewis is considering renting out under-used shop floors as co-working offices in a move to fill excess space, it emerged on Friday.

Property Week reports that the British department store chain is looking at some of its older stores, including the one in Newcastle’s Intu Eldon Square shopping centre, to introduce flexible offices and other potential initiatives.

John Lewis will carry out a cost assessment on the shared office proposal and will make a decision in early 2018. The plan could see the retailer either partnering with an operator or launching its own office brand.

The initiative comes amid rising pressure on physical retailers as consumers continue to shift towards online shopping and business rates threaten the sustainability of stores.

John Lewis has 48 shops across the UK, and has begun opening popular café and restaurant brands such as Benugo and Comptoir Libanais to fill under-used locations.

The retail company warned earlier this month that it has seen a drop in big ticket sales, with shoppers taking a step back from expensive goods due to lower consumer confidence. On the other hand, beauty and womenswear sales are increasing, it said.