John Lewis to open VIP lounge at Oxford Street store with free drinks and massages

Waitrose chocolates will also be used to lure in loyalty card holders at central London store

John Lewis is to open a VIP space at its Oxford Street store in London as part of a drive to lure customers back, after years in which it has lost ground to rivals including Marks & Spencer.

The retailer is to unveil the John Lewis Lounge on Tuesday, with access for members of its loyalty card scheme, weeks after reporting group losses had nearly tripled to 88m in the first half of this year.