RETAIL Department store group John Lewis today said continued uncertainty in the economy and the weather contributed to a 2.4 per cent fall in sales last week.

Despite a strong performance on Saturday, when sales were up nearly three per cent on a year earlier, John Lewis described overall trading as `challenging'.

The Trafford Centre was one of only four stores which saw sales grow, while the Cheadle branch suffered an 11 per cent fall.

The company's fashion department remained the best selling area, with sales up 2.3 per cent, compared with a one per cent decline for electricals and home technology and a nine per cent drop in homewares.

Garden furniture and TV sets sold strongly, along with sports and beauty products. The group also posted a 35 per cent increase in sewing machine sales.

At supermarket Waitrose, which is part of the John Lewis Partnership, sales were up 1.9 per cent.