john lewis croydon

The four-level department store will be part of a £1.4bn town centre update project

A 165,000 sq ft John Lewis and Waitrose co-located store is opening in Croydon as part of major local developments.

The four-level John Lewis department store will anchor the £1.4bn town centre update project, following John Lewis being the most requested addition to the redevelopment project.

The store will incorporate Waitrose on the ground floor and stock the partnership’s full line. Construction is due to begin in 2019 with 2023 being the current opening date, subject to discussions and change.

The redevelopment of Croydon’s town centre is a major joint venture for Westfield and Hammerson, the partnership that is leading the project. It will see more than 300 shops installed, including M&S, restaurants, a multi-screen cinema complex and up to 1,000 homes.

John Lewis’ customer director Craig Inglis said it will showcase JLP’s latest thinking in shop design. “We are delighted to be opening a new full-line department store in the newly developed centre, offering the services and products we’re well known for,” he said.

Ben Stimson, retail director at Waitrose, added: “This is an exciting opportunity to bring the Waitrose and John Lewis brands together under one roof as part of a state-of-the-art retail and leisure destination and reinforces our commitment to Croydon’s future.”