Marks and Spencer has announced plans to close multiple stores across the country this year in a blow to shoppers.
In October 2022, the supermarket and department store chain confirmed 67 locations would be shut down over a five-year period as part of a restructuring process.
These closures are part of 110 sites previously earmarked by the business to be shut down with M&S looking to focus more on its “food-only” stores.
The retailer plans to slash the number of “full line” locations which include home and clothing ranges of products from 247 to 180 by 2028.
However, Marks and Spencer has outlined plans to open 104 more Simply Food stores in the years to come.
If these plans are implemented, M&S will have raised the number of its Simply Food supermarket locations from 316 to 420.
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The supermarket chain is closing sites across the UK
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Here is a full list of the upcoming known store closures from Marks and Spencer in 2024, based on local reports:
- Queensgate Shopping Centre, Peterborough - April 20, 2024
- Green Street, Neath - May 2024
- St Nicholas Street, Aberdeen - 2025
- St Mary Street, Weymouth - exact date to be announced
- High Street West, Sunderland - exact date to be announced
- Maidens Walk, Hexham - exact date to be announced
- Broadway Shopping Centre, Bradford - exact date to be announced
- Exchange, Ilford, East London - exact date to be announced
- King William Street, Blackburn - exact date to be announced
- Walworth Road, Walworth, South London - exact date to be announced.
Store closures have already been taking place this year with M&S’ Kingsditch Retail Park store in Cheltenham closing on March 30.
In certain stores, staff have only just been told of the proposal for their location to be shut down which means a final decision has not been reached in some cases.
According to the supermarket, an estimated £480million is being invested in its “store rotation programme”.
This will reportedly see 3,400 jobs created with November 2023 being the chain’s biggest ever store opening month.
Over the period, Marks and Spencer opened and refurbished nine new stores despite multiple stores being set to close in 2024.
M&S chief executive Stuart Machin previously outlined that the brand’s decision is based on “making sure we have the right stores, in the right place, with the right space”.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Britain's high streets have been hit by a wave of store closures PAMachin explained: “We’re aiming to rotate... to 180 higher quality, higher productivity full line stores that sell our full clothing, home and food offer whilst also opening over 100 bigger, better food sites."
“The out-performance of our recently relocated and renewed stores give us the confidence to go faster in our plan.
“Our investment in stores not only delivers a better experience for customers and colleagues, it boosts local communities with new job creation and will help us deliver a more sustainable estate in every sense."