John Lewis is due to commence a renovation of its iconic Peter Jones facade in Chelsea, London.
The department store chain received planning permission for the works in May 2020 after a public consultation involving the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Cadogan Estates, Historic England, local residents and businesses.
John Lewis is planning to renovate the curved glass facade of the building, including the ground floor shop windows, entrances and canopy.
The King’s Road entrance will be expanded to become more accessible and bring customers into the central atrium of the store.
In a modern twist, John Lewis will also reanimate the building with an installation of light, shadow and movement that is responsive to the environment - such as wind, rain, sunrise and sunset.
Future plans in store for iconic Chelsea shop
The retailer has received further permissions to reconfigure the sixth floor of the building in the future, to include a dedicated restaurant, a food hall, interior conservatories for use by the public and staff, a viewing terrace and a horticultural concession with plants on sale from John Lewis Partnership’s Leckford Estate.
The seventh floor may also eventually become home to a garden terrace with a bar for customers.
John Lewis executive director Pippa Wicks said: “Our shops will always be important and this refurbishment forms part of our broader plans to rebalance our estate, which includes investing in our flagship stores.
“Peter Jones is widely seen as the birthplace of the John Lewis Partnership when it opened in 1935 and has served the community as the corner shop for Chelsea locals since the day it opened. We want to reinvigorate the shop as a public asset, loved by those who live next to it.”
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