John Lewis to enter Middle East with Dubai tie-up

Britain's largest department store group, is to enter the Middle East market, opening an outlet in Dubai next year as it steps up the pace of global expansion.

The employee-owned firm said on Monday the 15,000 square feet space, its largest such overseas concession, will open within the new flagship Robinsons department store in Dubai Festival City Mall, both of which are part of the Al-Futtaim group.

John Lewis is further extending its partnership with Robinsons in Malaysia by opening a 630 square feet "shop-in-shop" at its Kuala Lumpur store in March.

The Waitrose supermarket group, also part of John Lewis, already has a store in Dubai.

The Dubai and Malaysia moves will add to John Lewis' existing overseas portfolio of 14 "shop-in-shops" across Singapore and the Philippines and seven in South Korea.

John Lewis said in December it would enter continental Europe, opening seven outlets within De Bijenkorf department stores in the Netherlands throughout this year and 2017.

"The success of our existing international shop-in-shops has given us the confidence to open in the Middle East and increase both the scale of the space and product assortment," said John Lewis managing director Andy Street.

The John Lewis department in Dubai will stock bed, bath, living and gifting assortments as well as own brand furniture, cookware, textiles, glassware and nursery products.

Last month John Lewis reported strong Christmas trading numbers.