John Lewis' week got better and better following its award for best British Retailer as trading figures for the week to June 23 indicated sales rose 5.1%.
The announcement by Which? magazine, on Thursday June 29, named it as the best British Retailer offering 'products of excellent quality' and 'good value for money'.
After stripping out the Direct arm of the business – which rose 40.3% – estimates by brokerage house Seymour Pierce put the contribution from department stores at 2.9% for the week to June 23.
Prime selling departments include furnishing accessories (cookshop and decorative accessories) up +4.3%, and furniture and textiles (living and dining furniture) up 9.0%.