JOHN Lewis plans to permanently shut eight more shops with 1,465 jobs at risk.
It comes after the retailer posted a £517million loss for last year due to the coronavirus crisis.
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John Lewis first warned it'd shut more stores earlier this month – and it's now revealed which shops are affected.
The eight shops set to close are located in cities and towns including Ashford, Peterborough and York – you can check out the full list below.
John Lewis' remaining 34 shops in England will then reopen from April 12, subject to government guidance.
While its Glasgow store will open on April 26 and the Edinburgh one on May 14.
Which John Lewis will not reopen after lockdown?
JOHN Lewis has announced eight more shops will permanently close, these are located in:
- Aberdeen
- Ashford (At Home store)
- Basingstoke (At Home store)
- Chester (At Home store)
- Peterborough
- Sheffield
- Tunbridge Wells (At Home store)
- York
John Lewis' "At Home" stores focus on products for your home, including tech and other gadgets.
The announcement comes eight months after John Lewis closed another eight stores, in a move which cut around 1,300 jobs.
The John Lewis Partnership, which also includes Waitrose, said it'll enter a consultation with the 1,465 workers at risk of losing their jobs.
It added that it'll aim to to find alternative roles within the group for as many staff members as possible.
John Lewis has been boosted by online sales in recent months, but these weren't enough to offset its decline in store sales.
Its pre-tax loss for the year to January was the first loss in the group's history dating back to 1864.
John Lewis has had to remain closed during various lockdowns in the past year, as it is classed as a non-essential business.
It first temporarily shut all John Lewis shops in March last year due to the Covid crisis – the first time in its 155-year history.
What are my redundancy rights?
BEFORE making you unemployed, your employer should still carry out a fair redundancy process.
You are entitled to be consulted on the redundancy lay-off first and to receive a statutory redundancy payment, as long as you've been working somewhere for at least two years.
How much you're entitled to depends on your age and length of service, although this is capped at 20 years. You'll get:
- Half a week’s pay for each full year you were under 22,
- One week’s pay for each full year you were 22 or older, but under 41,
- One and half week’s pay for each full year you were 41 or older.
Sadly, you won't be entitled to a payout if you've been working for your employer for fewer than two years.
There should be a period of collective consultation as well as time for individual ones if your employer wants to make 20 or more employees redundant within 90 days or each other.
You are also entitled to appeal the decision by claiming unfair dismissal within three months of being let go.
Earlier this month, John Lewis Partnership announced it'll scrap its staff bonus, stating it had been a "very difficult decision" keeping the cash.
It also warned staff not to expect a bonus until 2022/23, as the group's financials are set to get worse.
Sharon White, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, said: "Today's announcement is incredibly sad news for our affected partners, for our customers and for the communities we’ve served over many years.
“The high street is going through its biggest change for a generation and we are changing with it.
"Customers will still be able to get the trusted service that we are known for – however and wherever they want to shop."
The announcement is the latest blow to the UK's high streets, after experts warned the pandemic had been the the “worst time ever for retail”.
Retail leaders estimate that one in five high street stores plan to close permanently, and shops have axed tens of thousands of jobs during the crisis in the struggle for survival.
A number of high street giants have also collapsed during the pandemic, including Debenhams and Topshop owner Arcadia Group.
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