‘We are friends for life’: John Lewis staff say emotional goodbye to Aberdeen shop

There were cheers rather than tears as John Lewis staff closed the Aberdeen shop for the final time this afternoon.

The contracts of the 265 employees have now come to an end, following the decision at the end of June to permanently shut the flagship department store.

About 100 men and women aged from their 20s to their 60s gathered at the shop to mark the bittersweet occasion – before going out to raise a toast to the decades they shared together in Norco House.

While many are still looking for new jobs, there was little sign of resentment among the crowd.

Lynda helped open and close John Lewis

John Lewis became a Granite City institution in the decades since it opened at the foot of George Street in 1989.

Lynda McDonnell helped prepare the shop for its first customers that autumn.

After leaving for the last time 32 years later, Lynda told us: “I helped put the shop together, and I helped to take it apart.

“Everyone was so excited when it started, there was a buzz about it.”

It wasn’t long before one of Lynda’s previous colleagues from the Fine Fare supermarket in Garthdee – now Asda – joined her at the city’s newest retail sensation.

Karen Dawson, who was wearing a badge celebrating her 30 years of service today, started at John Lewis on December 4, 1989.

Just in time for the Christmas rush.

Karen said: “I worked in the gifts and pictures department then, and it was really busy dealing with all the food hampers the oil companies would send out as presents.”

Asked what she will miss most, Karen doesn’t even hesitate before answering that it’s her colleagues.

She said: “It’s a family, we are all a family.

“We have all made friends here and we are friends for life, some of us have even been on holiday together and we will all keep in touch.

“It really has been more than just a shop, John Lewis looked after me for 32 years.”

Our video shows some of the workers as they prepare to head out to mark the bittersweet occasion – 

‘It’s just sad’

Jean McLeod worked at Esslemont and McIntosh for many years until it closed, and got a new job at John Lewis 14 years ago.

“I worked in womenswear at E&M, and my customers followed me to John Lewis.

“I’m lucky to have worked at two of Aberdeen’s best shops, it’s a loss that both of them are gone now.”

Jean added: “But there’s no hard feelings about it closing, we understand how things have changed. It’s just sad”

Lynda, who has seen the turning of the tide in the retail sector over the past few decades, began fearing the worst after the pandemic struck.

She said: “After lockdown last year there were more partners than there were customers in the shop, which was really sad.”

Becca Penny is one of the younger colleagues, having worked at the shop for four years since starting when she was 20.

She says mentor Nicola Sim, who worked at John Lewis for 16 years, has been like “a second mum”.

Becca added: “My colleagues on the second floor have been my family for the last four years, Nicola is the mother figure to all of us.

“I was young when I started and had never worked anywhere this big, but it’s been the best job I’ve ever had.”

Nicola explained: “Everybody looks out for everybody in the store, it’s a community.”

Ellen was in it for the long haul

Ellen Will was climbing the ladder at John Lewis when the Aberdeen store was axed.

The 27-year-old had gone from catering to merchandising, and had just started management training when the closure plans emerged this spring.

She said: “I had seen myself working here for a long time, it’s the best employer I’ve ever worked for.

“I’d heard the whispers it might close, but it really did hit me when we were all sat down and told.

“I’m going to the John Lewis call centre now, so I’m still part of the company.”

Meanwhile, former member of the catering department Eleanor Hepinstall is one of the lucky ones to find a new career – at the Marriott Hotel just off Broad Street.

Eleanor moved to Aberdeen from Preston for university, and had been with the store for three years when it closed.

The 33-year-old said: “I had hoped that, because the company owns the building, that might help save it.

“We were all hoping for that, but I wasn’t entirely surprised when it shut.”

Life after John Lewis

Alison Bandeen, who worked in the store’s fashion marketing operations team, is already seeing the benefits to local traders of John Lewis closing.

She said: “It feels like a sad day for the city, but is it?

“I’ve heard that lots of local businesses, like Andersons of Inverurie, are benefitting from it and it would be nice if that continued.

“So many local firms will reap the rewards from us going.”

Alison, who has a job interview soon, is among the many looking on the bright side.

She said: “Today has reminded me how it was more than just a shop, and everybody can take heart from that.”

And as the staff made their way towards Union Street, there was something of a party atmosphere.

Determined to celebrate the good times, the throng chanted “JLA! JLA!” as they left behind the scene of so many happy memories.