CLOSING TIME
Marks and Spencer closures – which M&S stores are shutting and are there any job losses?
MARKS and Spencer has shuttered dozens of stores in recent years with a number closing in the last few months.
The posh retailer currently runs over 400 stores across the country and is a high street staple for many.
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But in October 2022, it announced it would close 67 "lower productivity" sites over the following five years.
The 67 closures are part of a list of 110 M&S previously earmarked to shut.
The retailer is yet to unveil a full list of the 67 stores which will close.
However, in April, it shared 10 which would close imminently.
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When M&S first announced it would close the 67 stores, it said the move would save the business £300million.
It didn't just announce closures in late 2022 though.
M&S said at the time it wanted to open 104 new "bigger and fresher" food stores as well, with some having already opened.
M&S was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, announcing in 2021 it was planning on closing 30 stores.
This was on top of the 59 clothing and food stores the retailer had already shuttered, plus 15 food-only sites and eight outlets.
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.
Marks and Spencer has already closed 68 stores in recent years, but efforts to cut its bills were disrupted by the pandemic.
Which M&S clothes stores have closed?
M&S has not issued a full list of where the 67 stores earmarked for closure are located.
But, it has confirmed that it has pulled down the shutters on some of them, including in England, Wales and Scotland.
Others are set to close in the coming months and years.
Here is the most recent list of shops which have been confirmed as closed:
- Manchester - August, 2023
- Swindon - October, 2023
- Birmingham city centre - November, 2023
- Barnsley's town centre - November, 2023
- Cheltenham - April, 2024
- Peterborough - April, 2024
This is a list of stores earmarked for closure. M&S is yet to confirm exact closure dates for some of the branches:
- Neath, Wales - May, 2024
- Sunderland - May 25, 2024
- Aberdeen, Scotland - 2025
- Weymouth - exact date to be confirmed
- Hexham - exact date to be confirmed
- Bradford - exact date to be confirmed
- Blackburn - exact date to be confirmed
- Ilford, London - exact date to be confirmed
- Walworth, London - exact date to be confirmed
These are the 40 clothing stores that closed between November 2016 and July 2023 - although do note that while six of the stores shut down, these were relocated to other locations within the same area:
- Andover
- Basildon
- Birkenhead
- Bournemouth
- Bridlington
- Castleford
- Clacton
- Covent Garden
- Crewe [Relocation]
- Darlington
- Dover
- Durham
- Eastkilbride
- Edgware Broadwalk
- Edinburgh
- Falkirk
- Falmouth
- Fareham
- Fforestfach
- Greenock [Relocation]
- Keighley
- Kettering
- Kirkcaldy
- London
- Middlesborough
- New Mersey Speke [Will change to a food-only store]
- Newmarket
- Newry [Relocation]
- Northampton
- Portsmouth
- Putney
- Redditch
- Slough
- St Helens [Relocation]
- Stafford [Relocation]
- Stockport
- Stockton
- Walsall
- Warrington
- Wokingham [Relocation]
And these are the 13 clothing stores that closed between April 2019 and May 2019:
- Ashford
- Bedford
- Boston
- Buxton
- Cwmbran
- Deal
- Felixstowe
- Huddersfield
- Hull
- Luton Arndale
- Newark
- Rotherham
- Weston Super Mare
Which M&S food stores have closed?
M&S announced in 2019 that 25 food stores would close or relocate by April, 2024.
It also plans to open over 100 bigger Foodhall sites by 2028.
The retailer said it is focusing on shutting or relocating its smaller, low-volume stores.
M&S has closed the following food stores:
- Bayswater
- Holloway Road
- Wrexham
A branch in Cheltenham is set to close this summer too, although an exact closure date is yet to be revealed.
Why are M&S stores closing?
M&S first earmarked a host of stores for closure in late 2016, saying 100 low-performing branches would shutter as part of a giant 10-year restructuring plan.
In May 2018, the retailer then announced it was accelerating its plans with over 100 clothes stores due to close by 2022.
It later revised its plans, and said it would close 120 clothing stores by April 2024.
In October 2022, amid a tough consumer backdrop, rising inflation and a £100million hit from soaring energy costs, it then confirmed it would carry out a further store overhaul to save around £309million in rent costs.
The retailer told investors it was speeding up its plan to reach a target of 180 "full line" shops, which sell food, clothing and homeware products, by 2028, down from 247.
M&S has previously said it was focused on moving out of tired stores on high streets with low footfall.
It added it was more in favour of relocating to retail parks, which continue to prove popular with shoppers.
Which stores have opened?
Cities like Leeds and Liverpool have already become home to new M&S stores.
Nine openings in November last year included six new stores plus three store renewals.
It also plans to open over 100 bigger Foodhall sites by 2028.
M&S plans to operate 180 full-line (which include clothing, home and food) and 400 food halls within the next four years.
The new openings will bring investment in new stores to £480million, M&S has said.
New flagship M&S stores have popped up in several major UK cities since last year, with more openings to come. You can see the full list below:
- Purley Way - April, 2023
- Leeds White Rose - May, 2023
- Stockport - June, 2023
- Liverpool ONE - August, 2023
- Birmingham Bullring - November, 2023
- Uckfield - November, 2023
- Barnsley - Autumn, 2023
- Earlsfield - November, 2023
- Lakeside Thurrock - November, 2023
- Manchester Trafford Centre - Winter 2023
Meanwhile, two stores are expected to have opened by the end of this Spring:
- Largs - expected Spring 2024
- Dundee - expected Spring 2024
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