Heartbroken John Lewis shoppers adorn store with handwritten tributes

Dozens of passionate messages and staff photographs have appeared overnight on the front doors of John Lewis in Sheffield as shoppers urge a U-turn on the decision to close it permanently.

Last week it was revealed the Sheffield store, in Barkers Pool, would be one of eight stores across the country to be shut down for good prompting an outpour of grief from regular visitors.

Staff who are set to lose their jobs have put up photographs of their time at the store and passionate shoppers have left heart-shaped notes to have their say on the impact of the closure.

One customer said they no longer have a reason to visit Sheffield from their home in Derbyshire and pleaded with the hierarchy to re-think their decision.

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Another wrote: “Every year me and my mum come here to buy a decoration for our tree, It’s such an important shop for Sheffield and everyone in it and it will be so sad to see something I’ve known forever just gone.”

Meanwhile, almost 23,000 people have signed an online petition calling for the closure to be overturned and keep the shop open.