Double whammy as major towns lose M&S service loved by shoppers leaving them devastated

TWO major towns are losing an M&S service loved by shoppers - leaving them devastated.

Marks & Spencer is shutting its cafe at the Chineham shopping centre in Basingstoke, Hampshire.

The cafe will close for the final time on November 26, M&S confirmed.

Staff at the M&S cafe in Cookstown, Northern Ireland revealed that it will shut on the same date.

Posting on Facebook, they said: "Thank you to all our valued colleagues and customers that we have had the pleasure of serving over the past 15 years.

"We want to celebrate the anniversary of 15 years of the cafe by having a party for customers and colleagues, a surprise visitor and a competition!"

The cafe is holding a colouring competition for children and will have some games and prizes to give away to mark the last day.

Shoppers in both major towns slammed the planned closures on social media.

One Basingstoke customer said: "So sad - good luck to all the staff."

Another said: "That's awful news, why close it?"

A third said: "So sad to hear this, we loved the cafe."

In Cookstown, one shopper said: "Please don’t close the Cafe - it’s a great place to meet up with friends and family and the staff are so friendly."

Another said: "It’s the only decent place to meet up with family and friends for a coffee and a chat.

"I would urge you to reconsider your rather strange decision."

M&S revealed earlier this year it would permanently shut ten of its stores and relocate more shops this year.

The full list of M&S closures that have taken place so far this year are:

• East Kilbride - February
• Fenchurch Street, London - March
• Meadowbank Retail Park in Edinburgh - April
• Castleford - April
• Bolton - April
• Cardiff - April
• Manchester - August
• Swindon - October
• Birmingham city centre - November
• Barnsley's town centre - to close on November 27

However, it is not all doom and gloom for shoppers as flagship M&S stores and Foodhalls have been popping up in several major cities across the UK this year.

Cities like Leeds and Liverpool have already become home to new M&S stores.

In November there were nine openings including six new stores plus three store renewals totalling an investment of £80million by the retailer.

New locations include:

• Birmingham - November 7
• Uckfield - November 8
• Lakeside - November 15
• Earlsfield - November 16
• Barnsley - November 28
• Trafford Centre - November 30

M&S will also open new or refurbished stores in five more locations in the coming months:

• Camberley - November 20
• Handforth - November 23
• Newcastle Foodhall - November 29
• Wrexham – December 1
• Manchester Trafford Centre - Winter 2023
• Linlithgow – January 2024
• Largs - Spring 2024
• Dundee - Spring 2024

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 is not the only retailer looking to expand its offering for customers.

Primark recently opened a new shop in Salisbury in September and completed a refurbishment on its store in Edinburgh's Princes Street.

Bargain retailer Poundland has also opened dozens of new sites following the takeover of some of the old Wilko locations.

M&S' first Christmas advert has also arrived and it features well-known TV and movie stars.