John Lewis thrives

John Lewis profits

In a time where there's been more doom and gloom in the land of high streets than there's been good news, comes the news that John Lewis is thriving.

As the temperate moved up a few degrees, people left their apartments and houses and began adding some colour to their homes and about that all important summer wardrobe.

Sales at the department store chain rose 15.9 percent to GBP£53.22 million, with fashion up 20.7 percent and home growing sales by 20.5 percent. The sales were up on the 14.8 percent gain reported the week before, but less than the 17.5 percent overall year-on-year increase for the past five weeks.

"We matched a competitor promotion with great success, reflected by particularly strong results in areas such as fashion accessories, beauty and handbags," said the group.

The electrical department raised sales by 4.8 percent, although soon-to-arrive technological products is expected drive further improvement, Share Cast reported.

Supermarket chain Waitrose recorded profits of GBP£89.81 million, only a 12.1 percent increase from a year ago.

Today's figures follow Thursday's news that staff at the employee-owned business will share in a GBP£151 million bonus pot after the company reported a sharp rise in profits.

The bonus will be shared among 70,000 staff. The bonus is equivalent to 15 percent of workers' annual salary, or nearly eight weeks' pay, and up from 13 percent the year before.

Pre-tax profits at John Lewis climbed to GBP£307 million in the year to 30 January, up by 9.7 percent from the same period a year ago.

The eagerly anticipated announcement was greeted with loud cheers at Waitrose supermarkets and John Lewis department stores around the country, as the percentage was read out in each branch, the British paper The Telegraph reports.

Jodie Humphries

Jodie Humphries graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA Hons in Creative Writing in 2008. She has worked for GDS Publishing for the digital group since July 2009. She has previous experience with writing for the web, running her own website since April 2007.

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