The closure of John Lewis in Watford was a disappointment for many local residents, and the staff in particular. John Lewis had served our town well for so many years. For many, John Lewis was synonymous with shopping in Watford.
Following the announcement of the closure, I paid a visit to John Lewis' headquarters to hand in a petition calling for the department store to be saved from closure. The petition, organised by local resident Caroline Sampson, gathered more than 11,000 signatures
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Watford store was one of eight identified as already financially challenged, and the pandemic accelerated the switch from shopping in-store to online. Therefore, it is so important to support our High Street and why I back the #lovelocalbusiness campaign, as Watford is home to a number of fantastic stores.
The well-being of our high street and businesses is of paramount importance to me. I will continue to promote investment into Watford and whilst the loss of John Lewis was a blow, our town centre has since opened a number of fantastic new establishments and is an attractive place for businesses looking to expand or set-up.
