John Lewis plans to invest £20 million in refurbishing its Glasgow store located in the Buchanan Galleries shopping centre. This investment represents the largest portion of a broader £50 million programme scheduled for this financial year to upgrade several department stores, including locations in Reading, Cambridge, Leicester, and Liverpool.

The refurbishment of the 28,000 square metre Glasgow store will involve comprehensive upgrades across all areas. Key enhancements include an expanded beauty hall featuring a dedicated fragrance section and a gift emporium, as well as the introduction of a new in-house café-restaurant called the John Lewis Platter. The store will also add new fashion labels to its offerings. The initial phase of the renovation will focus on the lower ground floor, which will reopen first with a dedicated technology and sports area targeted for completion by late September. Despite ongoing construction, the store will remain open throughout the refurbishment, which is expected to conclude early next year.

This plan follows the decision by Landsec, the owner of Buchanan Galleries, to proceed with a major redevelopment of the shopping centre. Last year, Landsec secured planning permission for this overhaul after withdrawing previous plans to demolish the centre entirely and replace it with office buildings in 2024. The developer has acquired adjoining properties to support its vision, which includes creating new leisure and dining spaces such as a food hall, alongside expanded retail units on Buchanan Street.

John Lewis's current investment forms part of a larger £800 million initiative aimed at revitalising its 36 branches by 2029. Over recent years, the employee-owned retailer has been refreshing its brand mix, introducing labels such as Topshop and Carhartt in fashion, Charlotte Tilbury in beauty, and adding Waterstones bookshops within some stores. Peter Ruis, managing director of John Lewis, has described this strategy as a move away from the traditional department store model towards a more experiential retail environment.

Financially, the company reported a 3% increase in sales at its department stores to £4.9 billion for the year ending January 31, alongside a 29% rise in underlying profit to £58 million. This growth accompanies the ongoing efforts to modernise and enhance the customer experience across its network of stores.