John Lewis & Partners has closed its Blakelands national distribution centre in Milton Keynes as it ramps up automation investment at its Magna Park 3 facility.
The site has been part of the retailer’s distribution network for more than 40 years, supporting its wider UK logistics operations across John Lewis department stores and Waitrose supermarkets.
John Lewis’ supply chain is anchored by major hubs in Milton Keynes, Northampton and other regional sites, supporting both store replenishment and customer fulfilment.
Head of operations at John Lewis & Partners Sarah Payne confirmed the closure on LinkedIn, describing it as a “bittersweet day” for the business.
“It is a bittersweet day as we formally complete the closure and final handover of the Blakelands national distribution centre,” she said.
“This site has been a key part of our distribution network for over 40 years, and we extend a sincere thank you to the entire Blakelands team for their incredible contributions, hard work and resilience.”
Payne said the closure marked the next phase in the retailer’s logistics transformation, with investment being focused on automation at Magna Park 3, also in Milton Keynes.
“While it is always sad to close a long-serving building, this move marks an exciting new chapter for our network,” she said.
“The closure is part of a move for groundbreaking automation development in Magna Park 3. This investment is key to future-proofing our operations and enhancing efficiency.”
Payne added that the retailer had retained the majority of affected Blakelands Partners, who had secured other roles within John Lewis’ distribution network.
“This successful transition is a testament to the professionalism and dedication of all involved, especially the impacted partners,” she said.
John Lewis is pushing ahead with its wider £800m digital transformation programme, focused on improving how customers discover, browse and buy products across channels.
It is extending its partnership with digital commerce platform commercetools to make its products available to customers searching for inspiration through AI platforms such as Google Gemini and ChatGPT from later this year.
John Lewis also this year launched on TikTok Shop through a 90-day pilot, initially focused on a curated selection of beauty and gifting products.
The trial, timed around Mother’s Day, included the final drop of its Mother’s Day Beauty Box, featuring brands such as Jo Malone London, Augustinus Bader and Estée Lauder.
John Lewis chief digital and omnichannel officer Dom McBrien said: “Our customers are already using AI apps and discovery platforms to find products they love.
“These investments will mean that we are right there when customers are looking for ideas, and being able to quickly and easily buy in a few clicks is a gamechanger.
“We look forward to rolling out these functionalities and welcoming them into our omnichannel mix alongside our own app, website and physical stores.”
TikTok Shop UK head of key accounts Broghan Smith added: “We’re delighted to welcome John Lewis to TikTok Shop.
“As a cornerstone of British retail with a proud heritage, John Lewis represents exactly the kind of quality brand our community loves to discover.
“We’re excited to see how they’ll succeed with discovery commerce on TikTok Shop, bringing their trusted products to life in new and engaging ways for our users.”
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