John Lewis opens Jamie Oliver cookery school and cafe
John Lewis has opened its Jamie Oliver cookery school and Jamie Oliver cafe at its Oxford Street store.
John Lewis has opened its Jamie Oliver cookery school and cafe at its Oxford Street flagship.
The store’s new additions, which span over 4,600sq ft on the third floor, includes two cookery school classrooms and a 50-seat Jamie Oliver cafe.
The opening comes in response to increasing demand from customers to combine shopping with eating and drinking, with hospitality sales at the department store up 6% over the last year.
The retailer reported that one in five transactions made in one of its stores is now made in a cafe or restaurant, with the retailer’s own ‘Place to Eat’ restaurants visited by three quarters of a million more customers than the previous year in 2024.
John Lewis plans to open five more cafe and restaurants across its estate this year, boosting the total space given to hospitality in the business up by 11,000sq ft by the end of the year and the total number of cafes and restaurants in its shops to 62.
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More seasonal pop ups will also appear in the retailer’s stores, with the ground floor of the Peter Jones atrium set to be transformed with a pop up floral centerpiece wine bar next month to coincide with the Chelsea Flower Show.
John Lewis director of services and hospitality Katie Papakonstantinou said: “Opening the Jamie Oliver cookery school and cafe is a fantastic addition to our Oxford Street store.
“Whether it’s a chance to ponder a purchase, or an escape from the bustle of the shop floor, having a varied and exciting assortment of hospitality offerings within our stores is vital for our customer experience.
“It’s why we are continuing to invest in new offerings, and why by the end of the year we plan to have over 60 dedicated hospitality spaces across our 36 stores.”
In December, John Lewis expanded its collaboration with Caffè Nero by launching branded cafés to several of its department stores.
The move built on a partnership that began in 2021, initially offering free hot drinks to My Waitrose loyalty card holders.
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