In pictures: John Lewis' first small department store, Exeter

At 65,000 sq ft, the five-floor shop is less than half the size of an average 132,000 sq ft full line John Lewis department store.

A John Lewis spokeswoman said that its 38^th store is its “most advanced omni-channel shop”, with interactive information screens and digital store guides.

The store features “the full John Lewis assortment including fashion, beauty, consumer electronics, home and nursery”, she said.

John Lewis will open a further ‘flexible’ format department store in York next year, and Chelmsford in 2014.