There are few shops that I can say hold memories for me. (Or at least pleasant ones – my mum will remember the unfortunate incident in Cresta Cards that cleared the shop.) As a child I remember wandering around the John Lewis (or Trewins as it was in Watford in those days) haberdashery department marveling at the rainbow walls of cotton reels. John Lewis was where my big brother had his first grown-up job. I shopped for my wedding list there and then three years later was back buying for my first baby and wondering who could afford a Silver Cross pram. I shall resist any mention of the Royal Baby … And, of course, there was many a time I got my boobs out in the baby department.
For both old-timers like me and the yet-to-be-converted, the great news is that the John Lewis store at Intu Watford (formerly the Harlequin Centre) has just got even better. Not only are there 4 glorious floors of whatever you fancy to peruse – you can now tickle your taste buds at the same time because John Lewis’ tastiest family member, Little Waitrose, has moved in with its big brother. 5,500 square feet of John Lewis has been converted into the new Little Waitrose space giving you the chance to shop for your favourites whilst enjoying everything John Lewis has to offer.
Convenience is all. Little Waitrose is the ideal place to choose something for dinner, pick up a snack or top up your regular food shop. Alongside fruit, vegetables and deli products you can find fresh meat and fish counters and a bakery. Get some flowers if you need to say sorry to someone. Choose from the wide range of wines and beers if you want to celebrate something. And for the more mundane days when not much is happening and you’ve been neither insulting nor successful, you’ll find store cupboard essentials from washing powder to cereal. Why go anywhere else? Happy days.
To celebrate the arrival of Little Waitrose at John Lewis in Watford I’m giving you the chance to win a fabulous £150 worth of John Lewis vouchers (which can be spent in any John Lewis, Waitrose and Little Waitrose or online). For your chance to win please see below. Good luck and happy shopping and eating – both at the same time, marvellous!
TO ENTER
To enter please scroll down and leave a comment telling me how you’d spend the vouchers. Of course, if you don’t want to tell me and just want to say “hello” that’s fine – I’m just being a nosey-bones. Either way, you’ll be entered to win.
THE RULES
Entries from the UK only. Just one entry per person. No entries accepted after 5pm (GMT) on August 31st, 2013. The winner will be chosen completely at random and will be announced here on September 1st as well as contacted individually. If the winner doesn’t respond within 5 days then an alternative winner will be chosen.
Disclosure: A big thanks to the John Lewis Partnership for giving me the opportunity to offer these vouchers.
Crumbs and Pegs 
I would spend it on knitting wool for things for my friends’ babies! Love JL haberdashery.
I might spend it on those lovely Marlborough buns that they do at my nearest Little Waitrose. They’re a nice treat. The rest might be on lemon juice. My 2 year old makes a beeline for it every time we go in but I cannot fathom why!
I would spend the money in the baby department for sure! They have gorgeous things for newborns.
OOOH! What a great prize! You know what, i’m really not sure, whenever I go over to JL Watford I always think it would be lovely to choose exactly what I fancied without worrying about the cost, so maybe… x
£150 would be split between the practical me (kitchenware, sensible storage) and the slippery-attracted-to-frippery me (‘essential scarf’, ‘must-have-purse’). The split %s to be decided by the winning inner voice minutes before I need to dash back to the car!!
Ohhh, I remember when it was Trewins! (I lived in Bovingdon and Kings Langley until I was 16, so Watford was local to me then). memories! It’d have to be kitchenware and food for me I think.
i’d spend it at john lewis they have some really nice gadgets for the kitchen
With Tiny P due to make an entrance soon, I think they’d have to be spent on my post babies equivalent of shoes and bags shopping….changing bags, baby blankets or pram accessories.
Hi – I would put it towards an iPad which I have wanted for sometime
without question – the best bottle of single malt that someone else’s money can buy.
It would have to be a treat for myself if I won the prize otherwise it wouldn’t feel like I had won …. it has to be a new sat nav with Live Updates as it would life so much easier for those weekend trips away 🙂
I would spend it on my girls….They have there birthdays next month & September! They’d come in handy 🙂
I would spend it on some flowers to say thanks, treat someone special to a nice meal and some wine… I might treat myself to a nice cigar as well…. 🙂
On wow, what a fantastic prize. I’d use it stock up my food cupboards and any extra left I’d spend on some new bedding.
I would spend it on buying an overlooker sewing machine to help start up my small independent graduate business, I hope one day to have my items sold in John Lewis stores! Any left over change would definitely be going to Waitrose bakery too! Fingers crossed and thank you for the great opportunity x
I’d spend it on something for my partner. See what I did there? Made out I’d treat her when in fact what I’d do is leave it on the table by accident and by the morning she’d have spent it on wool.
Wool. I’d spend it on wool.
the first thing I’d buy is these Racing Royals, I’m sure they would keep the kids occupied! http://www.johnlewis.com/racing-royals-pack-of-2/p411104
then I’d go for a novelty egg timer
http://www.johnlewis.com/alessi-duck-kitchen-timer/p231905640?colour=Yellow
along with a mug and kettle so I can finally put my feet up and enjoy a good cuppa tea
http://www.johnlewis.com/emma-bridgewater-royal-baby-mug/p577140
http://www.johnlewis.com/le-creuset-traditional-stovetop-whistling-kettle/p310840?colour=Volcanic
http://www.johnlewis.com/hugs-english-breakfast-tea-bags-pink-box-of-10/p231304742
We’ve not long moved house so money is tight. I’d blow the vouchers on some lovely things for our house.
If I am lucky enough to win your very generous giveaway (thanks for the chance!) I would buy a digital radio. I would love one in my kitchen, but all the ones I like cost too much! Fingers crossed 🙂 x
I LOVE LOVE LOVE John Lewis, there are so many things to look at and the service is ALWAYS second to none, I have been fantasising over some new China and I always stop by the Clarins counter to buy face stuff. We also need to buy some new school shoes for our son and they have the most amazing Winter coats in there , warm, dry and not too heavy. But I might just treat myself and buy a new handbag 🙂
Well, I was going to say these Moose dungarees for the Bosc, but now I’ve seen them I have to buy them anyway!
http://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-baby-corduroy-moose-dungarees-blue/p507347
Maybe a nice practical new kettle.
Who am I kidding? I’d blow the whole lot on desk accessories, starting with the Mr Fox Memo Pad, all the bamboo holders, and the Whatever notepad.
I believe these are all tax deductible for the home worker… http://www.johnlewis.com/home-garden/office/desk-accessories/c700009083
I know I’m supposed to say I’d spend it on the kids but what I would actually do is go straight to the beauty counter and buy some miracle creams to make me look 20 again (ok I’d settle for looking 30) 🙂
I’d have to spend it on food… Euan seems to be on a growth spurt at the moment. Who knew a 4 year old could eat so much? I may have to start stockpiling now for when he’s a teenager.
Great competition prize! Horrifyingly I might spend it on a hoover as ours has packed in, however there are so many other tempting goodies at JL that I’m sure I could find something a little more appealing 😉 Fingers crossed!
Oh I have such strong memories of John Lewis in Kingston and wondering the haberdashery department too! I think I’d just like to head there for the day with boys and browse and just love to be able to buy them what they like! 😀
I would love to win this! Mainly so I can treat myself to some new clothes – looking after a toddler has worn them out faster than I ever thought possible 🙂
I would buy myself a bookshelf to store my sewing machine and craft books on. It would be nice to display my creative things instead of having them stowed away in boxes!
I’d spend them on a next stage car seat for my baby – they’re blimming expensive 😉
Ooooh what a great giveaway! I think I’d have to add it to my KitchenAid fund. One day it will be mine….
I would love to win and spend on a updated, slightly less “Dad”, wardrobe of clothes but I suspect the vouches would be taken by my wife and kids for their pleasure. No bad thing I guess 🙂
I walk past Waitrose everyday to get to uni, me and my friends always say how much we’d like to shop there but it’s a bit above budget for a student. I’d love to buy my flat some goodies from here and all cook a big lunch together 🙂 that would be great! Maybe for our ‘Christmas dinner’ … that would feel like a total luxury having Christmas crackers, roast chicken, potatoes, Yorkshire puddings,fresh veg and other things from there :)!
Hi! I would buy a selection of Christmas presents for hubby and kids x
love waitrose food ,so fresh and fab quality,shame i cant shop that often as i want…i have not any shop around me apart from asda and tesco but if i win i will make a special day to shop …if money was no object i would pick waitrose anytime
I’d buy a nice new toaster to replace my old one (it’s gone to toaster heaven!) & use the rest to buy some delicious food (+wine!) 🙂
I would spend it on my daughter and some new stuff for the house. Thank you for the fab competition.
@ohsoamelia_blog
This is such a lovely post. It has got me reminiscing back to when I first went to John Lewis. My mum and dad took me and we explored the home department. I was amazed by all the lovely things! I remember saying to my dad that I would buy them presents from here when I grew up and got a job.
I’d love to be able to treat them to something special. The red letter day rural escape looks fantastic and would be perfect for them. With the rest of the money, I would go on a spending spree in little waitrose and get some yummy treats for them with a nice bottle of bubbly too!
I would spend it on lovely kitchen ‘things’ for the new house!!!
I would spend it on lovely food in my local Waitrose. Especially on decent bread fresh from the bakery, so that every day I would smile with the pleasure of it.
Hello!! If I was lucky enough to win, I would love to treat my mum for her 70th birthday because she deserves it 🙂 x
I would finally replace my 11-year old’s bedroom curtains which (very unreasonably in my book) she has been begging me to change since she was 5. What’s wrong with Dora the Explorer anyway? Her new secondary school friends will think they are post-ironic cool, no? Thanks for the chance!
I would probably save the money for Christmas presents for my family and maybe a little for food, my dad always spend a few days shopping and cooking for us to make it perfect so it would be great to be able to help him out 🙂
I’d buy some glasses (clumsy hubby breaks ours on a regular basis so none match anymore) and Christmas decorations. And a new mug for me 🙂
Oh a chance for some frivolous spending!
I think it’s time for the boys to meet Sophie Giraffe, and I probably can’t get away with making them share.
Then for myself I’d invest in a baby cage (http://www.johnlewis.com/lindam-safe-and-secure-playpen-white/p231725575) and my house would become extra-tidy, which is a bonus.
And in my virtual shopping I’ve just discovered this (http://www.johnlewis.com/sophie-la-giraffe-teether/p231829848). An baby-entertaining adult-bib, perfect to wear while I spend the last £30 on lobster.
Many thanks to everyone who visited my blog and entered to win the vouchers. With the help of http://www.random.org, the winner has been selected. [Drum roll …] It’s (Mostly) Yummy Mummy! Thanks again to everyone for taking the time to enter.