John Lewis to invest £21 million in revamping Peterborough store
John Lewis & Partners is to invest £21 million in refurbishing its 93,000 square foot department store in Peterborough.
The revamp of the store, which is situated in the Queensgate shopping centre, is expected to be completed by January 2020. The refurbishment will include an overhaul and reconfiguration of the entire shop with improvements being made to all departments.
While the work is taking place, customers will be able to take a virtual reality tour of the new-look shop using VR headsets. This will include being able to see new features such as a Style Studio and Experience Desk.
The Experience Desk on the upper ground floor will will see specially trained staff provide a concierge-style service for customers. This will include helping them to book different services such as personal styling, home design and nursery advice.
Meanwhile, the Style Studio will be part of the store’s new womenswear department, also on the upper ground floor, and will offer customers the chance to have a one on one personal styling appointment or a group style consultation.
In addition, the works will include a makeover for the store’s beauty hall which will be completed in time for Christmas.
John Lewis said work is already underway behind the scenes to create a new customer collection point that will open in August. This will include a new external loading bay to make collection easier for customers.
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.”
The store will also feature a new ‘The Place to Eat’ on the first floor that will open this autumn. During the refurbishment, the current ‘The Place to Eat’ will move to a temporary location on the first floor and offer a reduced menu.
The refurbishment forms part of the £60 million extension of Queensgate which is owned by Invesco Real Estate and managed by LendLease. Guy Thomas, head of retail at Lendlease, said: “The £60 million 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.”
Spanning 77,000 square feet, the extension is due to be completed by the autumn of 2021.
