THOUSANDS of John Lewis Partnership staff in the south are celebrating record half-year profits.

The retail group, which also owns supermarket chain Waitrose, saw half-year profits soar by a quarter on the year before.

However, it was a summer of contrasting fortunes.

The group said Waitrose, which has local branches at Southampton, Romsey, Chandler's Ford, Lymington and Hythe, 'powered ahead' in the six months to July 26, with an 11 per cent sales rise.

But John Lewis department stores, which includes the one at WestQuay in Southampton, employing 1,000 people, saw more modest growth of two per cent, as challenging trading conditions hit home.

The city store used to be called Tyrrell & Green, before being rebranded three years ago in a blaze of publicity.

With total UK sales of £2.3 billion, John Lewis reported pre-tax profits of £42.2 million, an increase of 25 per cent on a year earlier. Staff bonuses will be announced in March.

Chairman Sir Stuart Hampson said: "The benefit of having two businesses in different sectors showed through in our first-half trading."

The group described trading at the company's 26 department stores as a 'rollercoaster ride' after a strong performance in April and June was offset by slower progress in other months.

Total sales were £1.03 billion, but factors affecting demand included a succession of hot weekends and the impact on customer confidence of the Iraq war and general economic uncertainty.

While John Lewis stores lost footfall during sunny weekends, Waitrose benefited from strong demand for food.

Total sales in the six-month period hit £1.3 billion, with Waitrose sales on a same-store basis ahead five per cent.

Meanwhile, the group has launched its first-ever TV advertising campaign.

Its marketing director, Murray Hennessy, said: "We aim to increase our communication with 'occasional' customers who shop with us in one or two departments, but have not ventured further afield in our stores to discover the total diversity of assortment. "This is a feel-good campaign which truly captures the many pleasures of autumn, highlighting our home offer in time for the annual 'nest making' as shoppers turn their attentions back to the home."

The campaign features six vignettes:

a forest floor covered with fallen leaves - with the caption New Carpet?

a dog climbing onto the bank of a lake shaking off the water - with the caption New Towels?

birds jostling for position on an all-too-bouncy telegraph wire - with the caption New Sofa?

a curled-up mouse pictured dozing - with the caption New Duvet?

a wide-eyed owl staring straight at the camera - with the caption New TV?

a stunning autumn sunset - with the caption New Lighting?