John Lewis has put 200 roles at risk as it proposes closing its in-store foreign exchange bureaux and dedicated gift-wrapping desks across dozens of stores.

The company has launched a redundancy consultation with staff affected by the plans, which would see bureau de change services shut in 30 stores and specialist gift-wrapping desks close in 25 locations.

No final decision has yet been made, although the closures are expected to take place this autumn if the plans go ahead.

The development forms part of John Lewis’ wider push to modernise its store operations and shift more services online, as the retailer continues to look for ways to operate more efficiently.

Customers would still be able to order foreign currency online for home delivery or collection from John Lewis shops, while it said most customer queries are already handled by shopfloor staff.

A John Lewis spokesperson said shoppers were increasingly choosing to buy currency online and use the convenience of home delivery or store collection.

“As we focus on modernising this proposition to meet our customers’ changing needs, we’re proposing to close our in-store foreign exchange bureaux as well as our gift wrapping service,” the spokesperson said.

“This isn’t a decision we’ve taken lightly, and we will support impacted partners throughout the consultation process and support redeployment where possible.”

The company is understood to be planning to repurpose the service desk areas for other uses if the closures are confirmed.

However, the proposals have raised concerns over the impact on customer service, an area long seen as central to the John Lewis brand.

John Lewis rejected criticism that the move would damage service levels, pointing to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty scores.

The plans come just days after John Lewis ranked second overall in the latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index, behind Nationwide, and remained the highest-ranked retailer in the report.

The John Lewis Partnership, which owns John Lewis and Waitrose, has been working to simplify its business and reduce costs after several years of restructuring.

In March, the partnership paid staff their first annual bonus in four years after underlying profits rose six per cent. However, the business also cut 3,300 roles last year, including around 1,500 across John Lewis department stores.

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