JOHN Lewis in Liverpool says it is all set for solid Easter trading despite rollercoaster sales figures.

Parent group the John Lewis Partnership yesterday said sales at the Liverpool store for the week ending March 15 were down a huge 20.6% on the same week in 2007.

But Margaret Jacques, managing director of the Church Street store in Liverpool, said the figures were distorted as the same week last year included not only the retail boost of Mother’s Day but also a three-day sale.

And she said that despite tough economic conditions that have seen shoppers around the UK tighten their belts, the store’s Easter trading this year was set to match last year’s Easter figures.

Ms Jacques said: “This fall was totally expected because in this week last year we were up against a three-day event where our competitors House of Fraser and Debenhams had offers which we, in line with our policy, price matched.

“We were also up against Mother’s Day.

“Because Liverpool is such a strong city for events, we do extremely well when we do have events such as those.

“The figures at the moment are very rollercoaster. They’re not painting a true picture.

“There’s nothing to worry about. Right now this week we are 19% up on the year but still have Easter to come.

“When you compare Easter against Easter I believe we’ll come in about level with Easter last year, which I think is very good because it’s tough out there.”

For the period up to March 15, sales at John Lewis Liverpool were down 5.4% on the same period last year.

Ms Jacques said a true picture of the store’s performance would only emerge once Easter was out of the way as the holiday fell earlier this year.

She said the store’s gift, fashion and home electricals departments were performing well, but said the market for “big ticket” items, such as white goods and large pieces of furniture, was more challenging.

John Lewis will move into a larger new store in the Liverpool One development in May.

Ms Jacques said: “We’ll be moving into a store that is 40% larger than the one we have at the moment.

“It’ll be the third largest John Lewis in the country and largest outside London.

“That’s the sign of the confidence we and the partnership as a whole have in the city.”

alistairhoughton