MARKS and Spencer is set to close two city centre shops following a string of closures and shoppers have called it an “absolute disgrace”.
The posh shop, which has 405 stores across the UK, is set to close its branches in Sunderland and Aberdeen to the surprise of shoppers.
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An exact date that the store in High Street West, Sunderland, will close is yet to be confirmed by M&S.
This is because it’s currently a proposed closure, meaning a concrete decision on the store’s future is yet to be finalised.
Customers have been left stunned by the news, with many taking to social media to share their surprise.
Writing on Facebook, one fan said: “That’s so sad to hear! It’s been there for as long as I’ve been alive.”
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Another cried: “Sad news. My first first full time job in 1964 when I left school was there. They were happy days.”
Another simply wrote: “Absolute disgrace.”
While a fourth added: “Sad times!! This will be a massive loss to our city!!”
M&S the decision was made due to changing shopping habits.
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Philip Barker-Thomson, M&S regional manager, said: “Shopping habits are changing, so we’re rotating our store estate to make sure we have the right stores to offer customers a brilliant shopping experience.
“As part of these changes, we have today announced to colleagues our proposal to close our M&S Sunderland store at 77 High Street West.
“We appreciate that this will be disappointing news for some.”
If the proposals go ahead, staff will be offered alternative roles with M&S.
But it’s not all bad news for shoppers, as M&S is set to open a brand new store in Washington Galleries, Sunderland.
A date for this opening is yet to be confirmed, but the high street store will remain open until the new store is up and running.
Meanwhile, M&S has also confirmed the closure of its store in St Nicholas Street, Aberdeen.
It will make way for an expanded M&S store in the city’s Union Square shopping centre, where work is set to be completed in Spring 2025.
Sacha Berendji, M&S operations director said: “Plans for this longer-term relocation have today been shared with colleagues – with all those on permanent contracts transferring over to M&S Aberdeen Union Square or other nearby stores next year.”
Edinburgh, Dundee, Largs and Linlithgow will also be getting new or expanded M&S stores within the next year. The dates are as follows:
- New M&S Foodhall in Linlithgow – opening later this month
- A new full-line store in Dundee’s Gallagher Retail Park – opening in summer
- New M&S Foodhall in Largs – early 2025
M&S is expected to close dozens of stores over the next five years.
Last year, M&S revealed that it will permanently shut ten of its stores and relocate more shops this year.
It’s part of the retailer’s plans to create more flagship M&S stores and foodhalls across the UK.
The full list of M&S closures that have taken place so far are:
- East Kilbride – February 2023
- Fenchurch Street, London – March 2023
- Meadowbank Retail Park in Edinburgh – April 2023
- Castleford – April 2023
- Bolton – April 2023
- Cardiff – April 2023
- Manchester – August 2023
- Swindon – October 2023
- Birmingham city centre – November 2023
- Barnsley’s town centre – November 2023
Cities like Leeds and Liverpool have already become home to new M&S stores.
Nine openings in November include six new stores plus three store renewals which total and £80million investment in bricks and mortar by the retailer.
M&S is moving from having 247 stores to 180 – but says that these remaining locations will be higher quality, higher productivity stores and stock a wider range including clothing, home and food.
It also plans to open over 100 bigger Foodhall sites by 2028.
M&S plans to operate 180 full-line and 400 food halls in the next five years.
The new openings will bring investment in new stores to £480million, M&S said in May.
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It will also be investing in its digital offering, with the rollout of click-and-collect to 130 stores across the UK.
Meanwhile, The Sun has put together a full list of shops closing stores before the end of January including Boots and HMV.
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