M&S confirms stores opening before April | UK | News
Marks and Spencer will open three new stores next week. This comes as the British supermarket recently announced ambitious plans to expand across the UK over the next few years.
It said M&S stores all have new large format Food halls of 15,000, 16,000 and 18,600 sq ft and stock the majority or full range of M&S Food. The supermarket, which already operates more than 1,000 stores in the UK, says the new stores will be perfect for a weekly shop. A new 15,000 sq ft M&S fresh market style food store opened in Hatfield Oldings Corner this week, and the 16,000 sq ft Luton Bramingham location will be followed by an 18,600 sq ft store in Farnham next Wednesday.
These stores have created over 200 new jobs in total and add to the more than 20 new and refurbished stores M&S has opened so far this financial year. It comes as M&S aims to double the size of its food business in the UK.
Luton and Farnham are two of twelve former Homebase sites that M&S is developing in the UK. The first of these redevelopments opened in Cannock, Staffordshire, last December.
Alex Freudmann, Managing Director of M&S Food, said: “We are transforming M&S Food and want every store we have to offer our customers the best of the food range, from trusted value to exceptional quality and innovation.
“To do this, we are finding the right store locations that will allow us to offer the widest possible range of products for customers and families across the UK. This month, we are bringing M&S Food to three new cities and have a strong pipeline of new openings planned for next year.”
M&S will also soon open a food store at the former Homebase store in Woolsack Way, Godalming, Surrey.
Meanwhile, the supermarket’s latest store refurbishment will begin at Westway Chelmsford next Thursday. This follows an eight-month revamp of the site.
Recent and upcoming openings are as follows:
