Scandal-hit M&S East Kilbride has been blasted as a 'ghost store' by angry Christmas shoppers.
The once thriving flagship retail unit in the town centre Plaza mall is now operating as an outlet store but, according to customers looking for a bargain buy this Christmas, it's 'Bah humbug' in the sparse 'slim pickings' shop.
As reported in Lanarkshire Live, Marks and Spencer’s have been told it needs to do more to keep trading from its East Kilbride branch.
The retail giant narrowly escaped a contempt of court finding after “pushing the envelope” in complying with a legal order to keep the store open.
The chain was taken to the Court of Session in July 2020 by its landlords Sapphire 16 S.A.R.L.
The property firm launched an action at Scotland’s highest civil court after it became aware through an East Kilbride News article that M&S were set to close the store.
Its lawyers told a judge last year that M&S’s plans breached a contract it had signed with Sapphire 16 obliging them to keep the store open until 2071.
Sapphire 16 then won an interim court order they believed forced M&S to keep the store open and trading.
However, lawyers for the commercial property firm returned to the Court of Session this year after it believed the retail chain was “doing the bare minimum” in complying with the order.
Its lawyers told Lord Braid that it was now operating as an outlet clothing store selling ‘clearance’ stock.
The firm’s legal team also said some of the store’s doors remained shut and windows were blacked out, giving shoppers the impression that it was closed.
The court also heard that the shop had minimum levels of stock and sales staff.
Lord Braid was told that a private detective who made two ‘covert’ visits to the store was told by staff that it was still set for closure.
Last year customers were greeted with a sign telling them to visit the M&S food hall in East Kilbride’s Kingsgate Retail Park.
Now shoppers have taken to social media to slam the new look 'ghost store'.
Gael Davidson said: "It looks shut, I thought it was shut.
"What a terrible way to treat the public of East Kilbride, particularly pensioners who relied on this store for food shopping.
"There are few if any food retailers in EK town centre, indeed few retailers left at all. Contemptible behaviour by M&S."
Tommy Mcgee posted: "It is a complete joke.
"Low, unappealing range of clothing and a scratch and dent selection of furniture items. I was told then that stock would not be replenished.
"How M&S can say this store is 'open' is beyond me. Go and have a look for yourselves, it will be two minutes wasted of your life!"
Meanwhile Colin Cameron wrote: "I went in last week and there were two staff members in. They told me not to bother looking for anything and basically go elsewhere."
Joe Fagan, councillor for East Kilbride, said the situation was a blow for the town.
He told us : “The windows and doors that face into the shopping centre have been covered up. M&S have deliberately made it appear as if the store is closed, when that is not the case.
“When they announced the closure people were anxious and uncertain. I think the way that M&S have conducted themselves was an insult to all those workers who were anxious about their jobs.
“Even if M&S had to downsize in the town centre to reflect the realities of trading during the crisis, there were other ways to do so. I am sure that the centre management would have worked with them to make that possible.
"I think they have conducted themselves quite appallingly.”
An M&S spokeswoman said it could not comment on the case as it was not ‘fully resolved’.
A statement added: “M&S East Kilbride remains open as an outlet store with a selection of clothing and home products.”
EK, East Kilbride said M&S had been "an important part" of the EK community for many years, with a spokesman for the centre saying they "looked forward to working with the retailer" to fully reopen the town centre store.
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