John Lewis continues to be hit by difficult trading conditions, with sales at its department stores down 4.7 per cent in the week to May 31.

Sales reached£48.5 million, compared with£50.9 million for the same week last year.

John Lewis head of internal communications Simon Fowler said that this week (week 18) was the retailer’s biggest so far this half in terms of its targets. “It was pleasing to see our sales levels rising 9.5 per cent against week 17, even though year-on-year growth proved more challenging.”

Fowler said that trade at the opening of John Lewis’ new Liverpool store this week far outweighed expectations. “In its first three days, the new John Lewis Liverpool’s average daily striking rate was more than double that of the old shop.”

Sales at Waitrose were affected by the heavy rain that swept the UK over the bank holiday weekend, but continued to increase, up 4.1 per cent on last year, including petrol.

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