Byline: CLINTON MANNING
JOHN LEWIS staff are bagging bumper bonuses averaging more than pounds 2,500 after helping the store giant to record profits.
The company also revealed plans for a pounds 600million expansion creating 4,300 jobs this year, adding to 4,100 workers hired in 2010.
The group made pounds 368m last year, up 20%, helped by the expansion of its Waitrose supermarket chain, which is serving an extra 300,000 customers a week.
As a result, chairman C h a r l i e M ay f i e l d announced that the group's 76,500 staff will share a b o nu s p o t o f pounds 194.5million.
That is nearly 30% up on the total pay-out for 2009, and is equivalent to 18% of salary or more than 9 weeks' pay.
Mayfield also revealed that it had spent another pounds 90m on employee benefits such as staff discounts and time off for long service.
It is making a one-off payment of pounds 150m to secure the final-salary pension scheme which is open to workers with more than three years' service.
Takings at the group's John Lewis department stores jumped almost 12% to pounds 3.2billion with particularly strong fashion sales including new, up-market labels Armani and Ghost.
The group's internet sales surged 38% as it extended its "Never Knowingly Undersold" price promise online.
Waitrose sales rose by almost 10% to nearly pounds 5billion, greatly helped by the opening of 20 new stores.
It was also boosted by the decision to hire TV chefs Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal. Bosses estimate their recipes drummed up an extra pounds 50m worth of sales since March.
Gemma Lovelock, UK MD of TLC Marketing Worldwide, said Waitrose had also been a winner as families cut back on eating out in the tough financial climate.
"People are going out less but are spending more on food and entertaining at home," she said.
"This stay-at-home culture is providing a real boost to premium supermarkets such as Waitrose and boosting product ranges such as Tesco's Finest
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BOOST J Heston and Delia were hired
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