RETAIL giant John Lewis is investing more than £20m in a refurbishment at its store in Bluewater.

The refurbishment will include the building of a new food hall, which is expected to open in summer 2009.

The food hall will be situated in the basement at Bluewater.

Customers will be able to shop for everyday groceries, as well as speciality foods.

It is being created in partnership with the supermarket Waitrose, and will sell mainly Waitrose products.

It is the second food hall to be built after the success of the first at the John Lewis branch in Oxford Street, London.

Simon Russell, managing director of John Lewis at Bluewater, said: "We are very pleased that we will be able to offer our customers a food hall next year, a decade after the shop opened in 1999.

“It is an exciting project for everyone involved at the branch.”