John Lewis: Store bosses issue statement after hundreds call for a return to Sheffield

John Lewis has ‘no plans’ to return to Sheffield despite the wishes of hundreds of Star readers.

The retailer dashed hopes it would reopen in the city - including in Meadowhall - in a short statement.

It came after readers overwhelmingly voted John Lewis as the number one shop they would like to see in the city centre, in its original department store in Barker’s Pool.

The shop closed in 2021 with the loss of 299 jobs.

A John Lewis spokesperson said: "We're incredibly grateful for this support, it underlines how difficult it was to close the store two years ago."

The Star asked if that meant it was considering a return and whether it would be to the city centre or Meadowhall.

The spokesperson then added confirmation: “I'm afraid we have no plans for this.”

As part of long running attempts to get John Lewis to stay in Sheffield, the city council bought the shop and leased it back for 20 years on a peppercorn rent. But bosses closed it less than a year later.

Last year the authority agreed to lease it to developer Urban Splash, which has been revamping Park Hill flats for the last 20 years. Its plans include cafes, shops and offices. The firm said it could have something open within six months. 

A spokeswoman recently said they expected to have some announcements by January. 

Last month The Star revealed they had given it a new name: ‘Cole Store’.