After weeks of what seemed at times like misery upon misery for the retail sector nationally the business hailed as the new hope for Cheltenham's High Street has reported rising sales.

John Lewis Partnership, due to move into its purpose-built multi-million pound store in the old Beechwood Shopping Centre in October, is the company bringing the good news.

Year-on-year growth for the firm, which has invested £23 million in the new building in the spa town, are up 0.3 per cent to £215.86 million.

Apparently a key factor pushing up sales over the last few weeks has been the change in the weather for the better.

That other well-known name within the partnership, Waitrose, also continued its recovery - with sales up 0.8 per cent - which included a 350 per cent increase in the sales of prawns. The figure helped off-set the overall 0.3 per cent fall at John Lewis.

Read more: John Lewis reveals opening date for new store 

The department store's minor dip in sales was attributed partly to the May bank holiday falling a week earlier that in 2017, but sales of menswear and womenswear were still up 8.2 per cent.

Fashion overall rose two per cent, but it was the sunny weather that proved key. Sales of women's shoes rose 30 per cent and summer range clothing sales were up 18 per cent.

Doors to the new 115,000 sq ft Cheltenham flagship are expected to open to shoppers on October 18.