DEPARTMENT store John Lewis High Wycombe will be changing to a seven-day opening from November.

The Cressex store will be opening its doors on Mondays from November 5 and is also extending its Sunday trading hours from 11am to 5 pm from the end of September.

Jill Raven, MD, said: "We know from customers that there is a strong and sustainable demand for Monday opening and, importantly, the extra day will spread the load and help cut down congestion in the car park."

Staff council president, John Gowers, said: "We've been debating and discussing this for 18 months and the final vote was unanimous."

John Lewis High Wycombe has 800 staff, known as partners, who share in the profits, as well as sharing in power over its affairs through elected representatives.

In March 2001 the partnership bonus (as a proportion of pay) was set at ten per cent, or more than five weeks' pay for all partners.