The retailer said it would open two of its stores on June 15 – Poole in Hampshire and Kingston upon Thames – before opening a further 11 on June 18.

Over the bank holiday weekend, the prime minister said that all non-essential retailers could reopen stores from June 15, having originally outlined a June 1 date.

John Lewis said it would then take into account both its customer and staff responses to its “new ways of operating with respect to social distancing”, before opening further department stores.