A MAJOR high street giant plans to close several supermarkets and clothing stores by the end of the year.
Marks & Spencer will permanently shut 10 of its stores and relocate another more shops later this year.
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The retailer hasn’t provided a full list of stores facing permanent closure, but it follows several of its shops shutting in recent months.
M&S closed its East Kilbride store on February 25 followed by its Fenchurch Street store in London at the end of March.
In April, M&S closed a branch in Meadowbank Retail Park in Edinburgh as well as the Linthorpe Road store in Middlesborough.
M&S closed a further three stores in Castleford, Bolton and Cardiff at the end of April.
The Eagles Meadow M&S Foodhall in Wrexham is also closing in the Autumn and will be relocated to Plas Coch Retail Park.
The relocations of a further 10 M&S stores will result in the opening of several new “flagship stores” across the country.
Five new “flagship” stores will open to customers in Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and Thurrock by the end of the year.
These new shops will all contain clothing, homeware, cafes and food halls.
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The locations of the remaining four stores earmarked for closure and relocation haven’t yet been confirmed by the brand.
An M&S spokesperson said: “Our store rotation programme is about making sure we have the right stores, in the right place, with the right space.
“Last October, we set out our target to have 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.
“Whilst our store rotation programme involves closing some stores, it also means relocating and opening new stores in locations across the country.”
The closures are part of 67 expected over the next five years.
The high-street brand is looking to shut some of its “lower productivity, full-line stores” to cut costs.
However, all is not lost as the retailer has also said it will be opening new stores this year.
M&S will open eight stores stocking its full range in shopping centres, as well as 10 new food halls, according to its full-year results report released today.
The retailer plans to operate 180 full-line and 400 food halls in the next five years.
M&S revealed a jump in sales today but saw its profits dip as a result of high costs.
Sales grew in its clothing, homeware and food divisions over the last 12 months.
The new openings will bring investment in new stores to £480 million, M&S said.
It will also be investing in its digital offering, with the rollout of click-and-collect to 130 stores across the UK.
What other stores closing?
Argos, Iceland, and a number of other big brands are shutting stores for good in June.
Some stores will be replaced with brand new shops while others will leave the high street forever.
Lloyds Pharmacy, Poundland and Poundstretcher are also shutting shops but opening new stores in the coming months.
As well as companies leaving the high street for good, other major retailers have announced they’ll be shutting some of their branches this year too.
Frankie and Benny’s owner The Restaurant Group (TRG) revealed in March that it is shutting 35 sites this year.
In December 2022, pub chain Wetherspoons announced it would be closing a total of 39 pubs after being hit by soaring inflation.
Plus burger chain Byron Burger fell into administration, immediately closing nine of its branches.
Prezzo is to close 46 branches after being hit hard by soaring energy and food costs.
The Italian restaurant chain has said about 810 workers are at risk of redundancy as part of the overhaul.
If you want to know more about store closures, you can read our full list of high street chains closing for good this year.
