The John Lewis department store in High Wycombe is set to be expanded as part of an £800 million investment to show 'more love' to brick-and-mortar retailers.

The boss of the retail giant will makeover its stores in Wycombe and Cheadle in Greater Manchester after deciding that the branches needed "more love" following a challenging few years for John Lewis, including some store closures and thousands of job losses.

The company has committed to inject more than £250 million into its stores over the next two years as part of the plan, which will pump a total of £800 million into the John Lewis brand over the next four years.

High Wycombe shoppers will be treated to a newly expanded beauty hall at the Holmers Farm Way branch as part of a wider "makeover", with further details yet to be revealed.

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John Lewis said it has been boosted by recent strong beauty sales, which were up almost seven per cent over the first half of 2024, compared with the previous year. 

Peter Ruis, executive director for John Lewis, said: “The buzz is back in John Lewis and we’re giving our customers even more reasons to shop in our brilliant stores.

“We’re backing ourselves with significant investment to ensure customers get the exceptional quality, outstanding service, and competitive prices they love about our unique brand.”

The employee-owned business also hailed a strong start to Christmas trading, with sales from its Christmas shop up 18 per cent year-on-year so far.

Mr Ruis said the company has seen “optimism” among shoppers in recent months despite continued pressure on consumer budgets.