John Lewis clarifies plans for haberdashery department

Reports suggesting that John Lewis’ new managing director Paula Nickolds was looking to downgrade the department store’s current haberdashery and millinery departments, have been rebutted.

The retailer has issued a statement saying that they “would like to make clear that we have no, nor have we ever had, plans to close or downgrade our haberdashery departments”.

It continues by adding: “In the last five weeks, we've opened new shops in Chelmsford and Leeds with already popular haberdashery departments, both of which include a meeting area for local crafting groups.”

With John Lewis being one of the few department stores to house a haberdashery department, consumers were a little concerned by the reports that Nickolds suggested in an interview that she was to replace the popular department with proseccos bars and beauty treatments.

John Lewis has issued the statement to reassure its customers stating that “haberdashery is woven into the fabric” of its business and “remains at the heart” of the brand.

Nickolds takes up her position as managing director in January 2017.