M&S shoppers ‘heartbroken’ as city centre store closes doors | UK | News
M&S store in England city center closed its doors on Saturday (Image: Getty)
Marks and Spencer shoppers were left ‘heartbroken’ as a UK city store closed its doors for the last time on Saturday (May 30).
The Swansea store has closed due to underperformance compared to the high street chain.
On Saturday, shoppers came to the branch to pay their respects and flowers were left near the building.
The Oxford Street store has been a major shopping destination in the city for many years.
The closure was announced in February, putting 92 jobs at risk as a result. An M&S spokesman said: “Our M&S Swansea city center store will close on Saturday 30 May.
“As we have previously announced, this decision forms part of our plans to reshape our store space so that we can invest in stores that better meet the needs of our customers.
“We remain committed to serving our customers in Swansea through our nearby stores and online, and are working closely with Swansea Council and other local partners to explore opportunities for an M&S presence in the city in the future.”
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Hundreds of locals stopped by the store, left flowers, took photos and made their final visits.
A woman shed tears while telling Wales Online He said M&S in Swansea meant a lot to him and his family.
Another man said he felt things had gone from “bad to worse” in the city as the reality of the high street giant’s closure became apparent.
The 63-year-old regular customer added: “It breaks my heart to see this.”
Shoppers will now need to drive more than 15 minutes to visit the nearest store, located in Swansea’s Fforestfach Retail Park.
Another customer added that the closure was “absolutely shocking” as the store had been an integral part of the high street since 1957.
Another store in Newport is scheduled to close in June, with the retail chain citing changes in customers’ shopping habits as the reason for the closure.
M&S regional manager Richard Owen said: “Customer shopping habits are changing and as part of our UK-wide store rotation programme, we are constantly reviewing our store footprint to ensure the right stores are in the right places and with the right space to deliver a great shopping experience.
“Following the recent expiration of our lease, we have decided to close the M&S store in Friars Walk, Newport Gwent, towards the end of June 2026. We understand this will be disappointing for some of our customers and colleagues.
“Our priority is to support colleagues throughout this change, including exploring alternative roles in nearby M&S stores wherever possible. We will continue to serve Newport customers through nearby stores and online.”
