MARKS and Spencer has confirmed the closure of more than half a dozen stores across the country.
The high street chain announced last year that it was closing 67 of its larger shops as part of a major shake-up.
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It said the closures of the “lower productivity, full line stores” will take place over the next three years.
But M&S is looking to open 104 more Simply Food outlets over the same period.
Many of the site are expected to reopen in the same area or location as sites earmarked for closure.
The shake-up also comes as part of a wider overhaul which will see M&S aim to deliver around £400 million in cost savings.
M&S has now confirmed that some of its sites will close for good this year.
Branches in East Kilbride, Edinburgh and Cardiff will be closing within weeks, with the earliest closure taking place this month.
The M&S in Eagles Meadow shopping centre in Wrexham is due to close in autumn, but it will be relocating, rather than closing outright.
The Sun has asked M&S to confirm where the store will be relocating too.
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Plus M&S is also eyeing up closures for its stores in Bolton, Middlesbrough and Castleford, following proposals.
But these closures are “subject to ongoing consultations” at this stage, M&S said.
The closures, including proposals, are as follows:
- East Kilbride Shopping Centre – February 25
- Carlton Street, Castleford – end of April
- Meadowbank retail park, Edinburgh – spring
- Newport Road, Cardiff – spring
- Eagles Meadow, Wrexham – autumn
- Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough – April
- Deansgate, Bolton – date to be confirmed
M&S is yet to reveal the other 60 stores it has earmarked for closure or how many jobs will be affected by the plans.
An M&S spokesperson said: “We recently announced that we are investing £480m in bigger, better stores across the UK.
“Our store rotation and investment programme is about making sure we have the right stores, in the right place, with the right space.
“Whilst our store rotation programme involves closing some stores, it also means relocating and opening new stores in locations across the country.”
Shoppers will soon be seeing big changes on the high street as other big name brands also look to close stores.
High energy costs and a shift to shopping online after the pandemic is taking a tool on the high street.
Plus, household incomes have been squeeze by the cost of leaving crisis, meaning less people are looking to spend.
Boots is closing three stores in the UK this spring, including a branch in Manchester.
Homesense, owned by TKMaxx, is also shutting up shop in Manchester’s Arndale Shopping Centre.
House of Fraser is set to shut up shop in two more locations as it battles to keep a presence in the retail sector.
And H&M has started closing branches across the UK as the high street retailer struggles.
Here is a full list of shops and chains closing down this year.
Plus, pub chain Wetherspoon has confirmed that a number of sites it has marked for closure have been sold or are currently under offer.
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