DEPARTMENT store chain John Lewis today said sales rose 1.6 per cent after a strong week for its electricals and home technology department.

The group, which opened its 27th store in Leicester this week, reported total revenues of £50.4m for the seven days to last Saturday.

The group had been in line for a more substantial increase but said the sunny weather on Saturday tempted customers away from shopping.

Seven branches achieved better sales than a year ago - Oxford Street, the Trafford Centre, High Wycombe, Norwich, Aberdeen, Southampton, and Glasgow - while relocated outlets at Cambridge and Liverpool exceeded their budget targets.

Bucking the postive national trend though was the Cheadle store, whiich saw sales slump 9.8 per cent year on year.

John Lewis said home technology, sales were 5.6 per cent higher than a year ago, better than the 3.2 per cent rise seen in fashion and offsetting a six per cent drop in the home department.

The overall sales improvement of 1.6 per cent follows declines in the previous two weeks.

JL give a further update next week when it publishes half year results.