M&S confirms plans to shut major branch in UK seaside town | UK | News

Marks & Spencer could close a major branch on the Essex coast after it was deemed not to have a “sustainable future”. The UK retailer has confirmed this week that it is putting its M&S food court in Walton-on-the-Naze to close as part of a “tough” portfolio reduction drive. The seaside branch has been providing locals with groceries, ready meals and premium M&S stock since 2018.

Will Holden, regional manager for the nationwide chain, said: EssexLive: “Our UK-wide store rotation program is about ensuring that every store we own offers the best M&S ​​service to customers. This means opening new stores, investing in others, but also sadly closing stores that do not have a sustainable future. After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to propose the closure of our Walton Foodhall.”

Mr Holden added: “I would like to thank all our customers who shop with us in store and our priority now is to continue discussions with colleagues about what these offers mean for them.”

He said customers on the Tendring peninsula could still shop for M&S at the nearest store in Clacton Brook Park.

Although a date for the possible closure has not been confirmed, the news comes after M&S announced it would close 14 in-store cafes as part of its strategy to “offer more product choice and improve the shopping experience”.

The change will affect 13 cafes in England and one in Scotland, including branches in Crawley, Whitstable, Canterbury and Hull.

The retailer was forced to scramble to cover costs last year after a cyberattack disrupted availability and forced stock clearances, but forecasts for March 2026 show the company has largely recovered from the shock.

Broker Shore Capital’s profit forecast for the year ending March reflects the cut to £655 million from £876 million the previous year.

A return to growth is forecast over the next 12 months, but with profits forecast of £960m, the retailer’s earnings per share rise to 33.9p.