John Lewis has announced it is launching ‘new-style home stores’ to try to reach more shoppers suggesting it is expecting an increase in consumer spending

The company said the new shops would be smaller than its current stores, and would sell only home furnishing and electrical goods.

The first store in the so far unnamed chain is scheduled to open at an out-of-town retail park in Poole, Dorset, in October. At 5,100m² it will be about a third of the size of a standard John Lewis store but will stock two-thirds of the usual homewares, furnishings and electronics.

John Lewis said that £6m will be invested in the development of new home shops and the company has identified 30 potential locations for new home stores.

The department store chain, which is part of the same group as Waitrose will monitor the Poole store closely and if it proves successful the idea will be rolled out rapidly. This is John Lewis’ first new format shop for 20 years.