People talked of John Lewis in particular as a safe space: the immutable haven into which they’d dash in the event of an emergency, seeking comfort among the white goods. The doors of John Lewis having closed, its chair, Sharon White, calmly strolled into its haberdashery department, took up the sharpest pair of scissors she could find and set about her alterations. (They are furious, too: it’s only six months since the council spent £3.4m buying its current building, the better that it might make its lease more affordable to John Lewis, which Coles became in 2002.) Would people in future drive to Leeds to visit John Lewis? Meanwhile, I humbly offer an idea along similar lines to the good men and women of Sheffield city council.

Source: The Guardian March 28, 2021 07:01 UTC