‘Disgraceful’ sob shoppers as M&S announces exact date ‘perfect’ store will close for good

SHOPPERS have been left distraught after M&S confirmed the exact date it will shutter down one of its branches.

The posh retailer has 405 stores across the country and is a staple on the high street.

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But it is closing branches across various locations while opening 104 new “bigger and fresher” stores in a bid to update its portfolio.

One of the impacted stores is its branch in Queensgate Shopping Centre, Peterborough.

M&S previously said the store would shut in April but did not reveal an exact date it would close.

However, the retailer has now confirmed the branch will close for good on April 20.

Craig Burton, 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.

“In recent years we have invested over £31 million in our stores in the East of England and we look forward to working with the local council to bring forward plans for further future investment into Peterborough and the wider local area.

“We would like to thank all our customers who have shopped in the store, and we will be working hard to keep serving them in our local M&S Peterborough Brotherhood store.”

Shoppers have reacted with frustration and sadness after finding out the branch, described by one local on Google Reviews as having “perfect” customer service, will close within a matter of weeks.

One said: “Shocking. Feeling for the staff.”

Another said “there’s going to be nothing left” while a third added “oh dear might as well close town”.

A fourth said: “Sad news! I worked for M&S when this store opened! Great memories and fun times.”

A fifth added: “Bl**dy disgraceful – Peterborough is fast becoming a joke as a shopping centre.”

It comes after a string of M&S closures across the UK as part of the retailer’s bid to freshen up its store offering.

The chain shuttered its Foodhall cafe inside its Eastgate Retail Park branch just yesterday in a blow for coffee lovers.

In October 2022, M&S announced it would shut 67 “lower productivity” locations over the following five years.

The 67 came as part of 110 that M&S had previously earmarked for closure.

At the same time, the retailer said it would open 104 new “bigger and fresher” stores as well, with some having already opened.

At the time of announcing the closures, M&S said it hoped they would save the business £300million in total.

M&S was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, announcing in 2021 it was planning on closing 30 stores.

This was in addition to the 59 clothing and food stores the retailer had already closed in previous years, plus 15 foodonly sites.

The closures were all part of a wider radical restructuring plan first announced in 2016, which aimed to close 110 stores by 2022.

In 2021, the business said it wanted to reduce its number of clothing and home shops down to 180 from 247 shops – but expand its Simply Food shops from 316 to 420.

It comes as other retailers struggle on the high street following a turbulent economic backdrop.

High inflation, which peaked in October 2022, has squeezed households’ incomes meaning they’ve got less money to spend.

High energy and wage costs, and high business rates, have further put pressure on businesses.

Major retailers Wilko, Paperchase and The Body Shop have all fallen into administration since January last year.

Yesterday, the owners of Ted Baker Authentic Brands Group said it was looking to appoint administrators which could see stores close and workers lose their jobs in a further blow to the high street.

Last June, Boots said it would be massively consolidating its portfolio of UK stores from 2,200 to 1,900.

It might have you thinking it’s all doom and gloom but some retailers are opening branches as well.

Asda has been opening hundreds of convenience stores in recent months as it looks to rival major players Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

Primark is also opening new branches and investing and renovating more than a dozen of its existing shops.

WHSmith has turned its focus to the travel side of its business, with plans to open new sites in airports, railway stations and hospitals.

In an update to investors in January, the retailer said it was on track to open 15 stores this year, with a further 15 to follow “each year over the medium term”.

Lidl is also looking to open 12 new stores across the UK while discounter B&M has also been opening branches this month.

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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk