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John Lewis boss apologises for saying France is 'doomed'
Retailer’s most senior executive admits "going too far" after saying France was "sclerotic and hopeless"
The managing director of John Lewis has said sorry after making remarks about France being “finished" and telling Britons to get their investments out of the country.
Company executive Andy Street said his comments were "tongue in cheek" and has now apologised "unreservedly".
He told an audience in London that France was "sclerotic, hopeless and downbeat" and he had “never been to a country more ill at ease ... nothing works and worse, nobody cares about it".
Mr Street has since issued a statement regretting his comments.
"The remarks I made were supposed to be lighthearted views, and tongue in cheek," said Mr Street.
"On reflection I clearly went too far. I regret the comments, and apologise unreservedly."
Mr Street's comments, reported in The Times, were made after he was delayed coming back from the French capital on the Eurostar.
He said: "You get on Eurostar from something I can only describe as the squalor pit of Europe, Gare du Nord, and you get off at a modern, forward-looking station [St Pancras]."
"If you've got investments in French businesses, get them out quickly."
Having collected an award on behalf of John Lewis in Paris, Mr Street joked that the gong was "made of plastic and is frankly revolting".
"If I needed any further evidence of a country in decline, here it is. Every time I [see it], I shall think, God help France," he said.
The French Embassy responded to Mr Street's comments saying they were "wide off the mark."
"Everyone who has lived in France knows that it enjoys world-class public services. Public transport for example is excellent, and at a price that Mr Street is unlikely to find in many countries" read an embassy statement.
"Far from being sclerotic, France is engaged in wide-ranging structural reforms, with 50bn euros savings over the next three years, which will mostly be used to reduce taxes on business. France is also engaged in a historic simplification of its local authorities. So Mr Street can rest assured that the French government really cares about business."