Bellwether-based John Lewis, a retailer, recorded a monumental surge in holiday sales during the Christmas period. Additionally, the Bellwether retailer recorded their best week in trading ever prompting a forecast of slow, but steady recovery for spending in 2010.

John Lewis said in a statement about trading that the total sales for all 29 stores over the five week Christmas holiday ending on January 2, 2010 showed an increase of 15.8 percent when compared with this same time last year. Like-for-Like sales were up as well rising 12.7 percent.

Andy Street, the managing director for the retailer, announced that the company’s Christmas sales were nothing short of excellent. He added that customers had shown a huge interest in the company’s offers coupled with a range of great products for the holiday season.

Mr. Street continued explaining that the stores across the UK had seen a number of previous holiday sales records broken this year. A feat not easily accomplished during an economic downturn. The food division, Waitrose, a sister company for John Lewis retailers also did well in the holiday shopping weeks.

Waitrose has been called one of the most quickly expanding supermarkets in the UK and recorded a sales increase of 20.8 percent over the holidays. Retailers seem to be slowly recovering after the crippling recession, however, Neil Saunders, a consulting director for Verdict, said that John Lewis’ sales are not representative of recovery on all of high street.