John Lewis boss hopeful of moving Sheffield store to new £480m retail quarter

Tom Holmes, head of the firm’s city centre branch, said a modern, flagship building – replacing the existing Barker’s Pool premises – would be ‘a new generation store for the people who already shop with us, opening up to new people as well’.

And with talks still under way between the council, its development partner Queensberry and the retailer about its place in the scheme, Mr Holmes said a redeveloped John Lewis would be ‘pretty cool’ for Sheffield.

He said there was ‘an affinity with the shop’ in Sheffield and added: “We’ve always said we will be actively working with Sheffield City Council and Queensberry to bring this to life.”

Work began yesterday on the first phase of the retail quarter – offices for HSBC, shops, restaurants and a public square on the site of the old Grosvenor House Hotel.

Mr Holmes said customers still needed high street stores despite the boom in online buying.

He added: “The people of Sheffield want to see a change.”