John Lewis reveals exact date for reopening of Ipswich store

Retailer John Lewis has revealed Ipswich will be one of the first locations to reopen among a handful of UK branches.

Stores opening in the first stage will also include Norwich in Norfolk.

It said that Ipswich and Norwich would reopen on Thursday, June 18.

The branches selected to reopen have been chosen primarily because of their accessibility by car and the retailer said it would use the social distancing practices already in place in Waitrose stores, which remained open.

John Lewis added: “Depending on the response from customers and partners to our new ways of operating with respect to social distancing, more shops will open throughout the summer.”

The John Lewis store in Ipswich’s Futura Park, will use the same social distancing practices already in place in the Waitrose store next door which remains open to the public.

For the first time in its 155-year history, the chain temporarily closed its 50 department stores on March 23 as a result of the coronavirus lockdown.

The Ipswich branch is Suffolk’s only John Lewis store, after it opened in 2012 after more than 30 years without one in the county.

Last month, bosses at the chain began discussions on which stores should keep their doors closed permanently once the coronavirus lockdown ends, raising questions over the future of the Ipswich branch.

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