Marks and Spencer (M&S) is set to close another store within weeks, adding to the dozens of closures expected over the next five years. However, this closure is part of M&S's plan to open new full-range stores and food halls, providing some good news for fans of the popular chain.
New M&S food hall to open soon
The M&S store in Barnsley's town centre is scheduled to shut its doors on Thursday, November 27. But shoppers won't have to go without their M&S fix for long, as a new M&S food hall is set to open the very next day in the local retail park. The new food branch at Peel Retail park will offer 60% more space than the current store, providing shoppers with even more M&S goodies to choose from.
November sees M&S' biggest ever month for new store openings
M&S has announced that November will be its biggest ever month for new store openings, with a total of nine new stores opening their doors. This initiative will support over 2,200 local jobs in the UK. The retailer plans to open at least one store every seven days throughout the month.
M&S aims to become leading omnichannel retailer
These new store openings are part of M&S's strategy to become the UK's leading omnichannel retailer. The company is aiming to rotate from 247 stores to 180 higher quality, higher productivity full-line stores, while also opening over 100 bigger, better food sites by 2028.
Positive outlook for M&S
M&S remains confident in the importance of its stores and sees them as a competitive advantage. The retailer expects more customers to return to stores to experience the best of M&S all under one roof, especially during the Christmas season. Sacha Berendji, operations director at M&S, praised the team for their outstanding effort in delivering the biggest ever store opening month, which supports thousands of jobs and demonstrates the company's commitment to its rotation plans.
