By Julie Crust

LONDON (Reuters) - British retailer John Lewis, the employee-owned group seen as a barometer of UK retailing, posted a 15 percent rise in weekly department store sales helped by toy sales and men's fashion.

Sales at its 28 department stores and one John Lewis at home store, grew to 78.54 million pounds in the week to November 21 compared with the year earlier when trading conditions were depressed by the financial crisis.

It said furniture, upholstery and beds are still performing well as are sewing machines.

However, sales growth has slowed from the 17.1 percent gain recorded in the week to November 14.

The employee-owned retailer expects a strong sales performance over Christmas, but expects rising taxes to delay an economic recovery next year, the head of its department stores business told Reuters Friday 20 November.

Surveys and government data have recently pointed to a pick up in British consumer spending after a brutal downturn in late 2008 and early 2009.

(Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)

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