The UK’s biggest employee-owned business John Lewis Partnership (JLP) will shut all its standalone stores on December 25 and 26, the management has told the popular tabloid The Sun. A large number of stores will remain closed on New Year too.
The rationale is to offer the employees a “well-earned break”. Incidentally, the chain authorities closed outlets on December 26 in the past few years.
JLP follows Home Bargains
JLP’s announcement followed the decision of Home Bargains, a British variety store chain, that it will keep all its 600 outlets closed on December 25, 26 and January 1. It has announced that on December 24, the outlets will down shutters around 5 pm, about 3-4 hours ahead of schedule.
JLP’s employees are known as “partners” and a share of the company’s profits are distributed among them as annual bonus. JLP is the parent company of John Lewis and Waitrose retail chains.
Boxing Day is deal day
While many outlets remain closed on Christmas, Boxing Day (December 26) is regarded as a day of shopping by many customers who hunt for deals on that day.
According to The Sun, the decision means that more than 37 John Lewis sites and 300 Waitrose branches will be closed for business on December 26. Just a few Waitrose shops that are located at petrol pumps will entertain customers on December 26.
Several other chains too
JLP and Home Bargains are not the only chains that will close on festive days in the UK. Several prominent chains remained closed on December 26 in 2023 to help workers get a break. Among the stores that showed this gesture to their workers were supermarket M&S and Do-It-Yourself (popular as DIY) majors such as Wickes, Homebase and Screwfix closed outlets. Variety store Poundland which has a chain of more than 850 outlets also closed shop on December 26, 2023.
The report has advised the British people to watch social media where local chains would indicate if any particular outlet in any locality would remain open on Boxing Day.
A wide variety of outlets in the UK will remain closed not only on December 25, but also on December 26, a day when bargain hunters queue up for good deals. Biz News Business News – Personal Finance News, Share Market News, BSE/NSE News, Stock Exchange News Today
