M&S to close Warrington store
The Warrington town centre Marks and Spencer has been named among six stores it is closing. down – but will open dozens of new stores across the UK.
The six M&S branches that are set to close down are: Monks Cross, Portsmouth, Slough,Warrington, Wokingham and Worksop.
However, 34 new Foodhalls will open. A full list has yet to emerge, but confirmed locations include:Bishopsgate (London, near Liverpool Street), Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Spinningfields, central Manchester and Strood, Kent.
And two full department stores will open in: Bracknell, Berkshire and Rushden, Northamptonshire
M&S currently has 959 UK stores – 304 full line stores, 615 food-only stores and 40 outlets.
Steve Rowe, chief executive of Marks & Spencer, said: “M&S stores will always be an integral part of our customer offer, working seamlessly alongside our website, M&S.com, to deliver great products and service to our customers. However, our customers’ shopping habits are changing.
“Picking up food for now or tonight rather than doing one big shop or browsing and shopping online and collecting in store are great examples of this and we are committed to adapting our business so that we stay in tune with our customers.”
The business is consulting with staff over the closures, which are likely to affect 380 staff.
M&S has promised them employment in nearby stores.
