Games turn into winner for John Lewis

John Lewis's London stores have seen a dramatic turnaround in sales as the Olympic Games progressed through the past week.

The partnership saw a slow start to trading as people stayed at home to watch the opening ceremony and first day. That skewed its overall takings in the capital downwards for the week ending on the first Saturday.

But since then, sales have bounced back hugely, with the Oxford Street shop, currently wrapped in a vast Union Flag, gaining 13% in the week ending last Saturday. Peter Jones in Sloane Square was up by 6% and other London area stores between 5% and 10%.

Nat Wakeley, director of selling operations, said: "It's going exactly | as we expected, having watched the patterns from Sydney and Vancouver."

He added that as Team GB's medal count started to build last week, surging numbers of shoppers came into the store to buy merchandise.