John Lewis raises private members club prices amid high demand

John Lewis has raised prices for its private members club by 20pc amid surging demand from local people.The retail giant has informed nearby residents that an annual membership to The Odney Club in Cookham, Berkshire, will now cost £600, up from £500 previously.Membership to the country club, which is only available to current and former John Lewis staff and villagers who live nearby, grants access to 95 acres of grounds on the banks of the River Thames, as well as facilities such as an outdoor swimming pool.John Lewis staff do not have to pay to gain access to the country club, although they can sign up for a £60 annual membership to enjoy events and discounts on food and drink.The Odney Club was initially established to provide staff with a place to enjoy sports and social activities, having been purchased by John Lewis founder John Spedan Lewis in 1926.At the time, the club was also opened up to people who lived within the Cookham catchment area.Today, locals pay an annual membership fee that includes discounted dining at the restaurant. The club currently has a waiting list of more than 100 people from the local community.John Lewis previously froze local membership fees for three years before this year’s price rise.However, locals warned the new jump was too “steep” and could price people out in the surrounding area.Helen, 58, who is on the waiting list to join the club, said the price increase would make her think twice about “whether it’s affordable or not”. “Putting up the price will make it prohibitive to some locals,” she said.Nigel, 68, said he was willing to pay the extra £100 a year on his existing Odney Club membership, as “it’s a nice facility, and it’s nice to have on your doorstep”.However, he said he would “not be that happy if it goes up much more”.A spokesman for John Lewis said the membership fee still represented “exceptional value for money”, adding that the club was primarily a benefit for staff.Community members may bring up to four guests, as well as children, when they visit.Financial struggles for John LewisIt comes after John Lewis has been grappling with rising costs.At its first-half results in September, the retailer said it had suffered a £29m hit from the Chancellor’s packaging tax and the National Insurance raid over the spring.The extra costs led to pre-tax losses at the group, which also includes Waitrose stores, of up to £88m for the first six months of the year, up from £30m in the same period a year earlier.Jason Tarry, the company’s chairman, said the group would seek further savings over the winter to drive higher profits. He said that there was “plenty of opportunity” to boost productivity.Analysts currently expect its pre-tax profits to reach £200m for the year to February 2026. Internal documents have suggested that the group will ask its board to recommend reinstating its partnership bonus if it achieves this.John Lewis has not paid annual bonuses to staff since 2022. Earlier this year, it said it was initially prioritising higher pay for staff and other investments over paying the bonus.A spokesman for John Lewis said: “The Odney Club and hotel have always been primarily for the benefit of our partners, allowing them to have affordable holidays and leisure facilities.“We value our close relationship with the local community, and historically we’ve always allowed a limited number of memberships for those living locally, giving full use of facilities, including grounds, bar, pool and subsidised dining for the member and up to four guests, which represents exceptional value for money.“The fact that we have a waiting list for community memberships shows that local people appreciate what we offer.”