John Lewis opened its first store in Essex on Chelmsford’s £150M Bond Street development.

The company plunged an £18M investment in the new 90k SF three-storey store, which features the most extensive beauty department of any of its locations. Spanning nearly 8k SF, it will sell upscale brands like MAC, Chanel and Nars. The beauty products will be included in John Lewis’s click-and-collect offer at Chelmsford.

In August, John Lewis unveiled a plan to invest £9M in its beauty halls across several branches, and to include new brands as an effort to supercharge its beauty business.

Chelmsford will also feature fashion brands, including Ralph Lauren, Whistles, Finery and John Lewis' new luxury womenswear label modern rarity.

John Lewis Chelmsford's interior design plays homage to the city's heritage as the birthplace of radio. Various references, including On Air signs and microphones, can be found throughout the shop.