Partners at John Lewis decided to open the Broad Street store at 8am for the first day of its clearance sale.

The eagerly-anticipated sale started on Saturday with up to 50 per cent off thousands of lines including furniture, linens and fashions.

The decision to open early followed a meeting of the Branch forum, which is made up of a representative from each department.

“This is the first time we have done this and it is something we hope will appeal to our customers, giving them the opportunity to shop over a wider window,” said finance manager Will Sayer.

The group is currently in discussion over the opening hours for Christmas.