STAFF at the new John Lewis Partnership stores in Ipswich will receive bonuses worth 17% of their salaries, it has been revealed today.

The announcement was met with cheers at the John Lewis and Waitrose stores at Futura Park, Nacton, which opened in November.

Staff are ‘partners’ in the business, meaning that every year, they are in line for a bonus when the full-year results are announced, depending on the chain stores’ national performance.

Anna Moir, branch manager at the John Lewis Store, said: “Since opening the new John Lewis at home in Ipswich, we have been delighted with our performance, against the backdrop of a challenging retail environment.

“It feels great to be rewarding our new partners with a bonus.

“Many of our partners only joined us four months ago and they have been on a very fast and rewarding journey, since we opened John Lewis at home Ipswich in November 2012.

“I would like to thank all of our partners who continue to provide the high standards of service and shopping experience our customers have come to expect.”

The John Lewis Partnership said its 84,700 employees across the country would receive the equivalent of nearly nine week’ pay after increasing its total bonus pot to £210.8million by posting a 15.8% surge in annual profits.

The employee-owned firm reported pre-tax, pre-bonus profits of £409.6million for the 12 months to January 26 and said the current year had started well.

Last year, staff nationwide received bonuses worth 14% of their salary - the equivalent of more than seven weeks’ pay.