Marks & Spencer on Tuesday revealed where the next 17 store closures will be, putting 1,000 jobs at risk.
The retailer, whose sales have been suffering as cheaper rivals have piled on the pressure and shoppers have migrated online, is planning to shut 100 stores by 2020. So far, over 80% of the 1891 staff impacted by the closures have moved to new roles, but 300 have lost their jobs.
Chief executive Steve Rowe added in November: “I’m saying that this will continue. I won’t pause at a hundred [stores] and say that’s job done. We must learn the lesson of the past. We need the right stores, in the right sizes, in the right places."
- The 17 stores announced on Tuesday are: Ashford, Barrow, Bedford, Boston, Buxton, Cwmbran, Deal, Felixstowe, Huddersfield, Hull, Junction One Antrim Outlet, Luton Arndale, Newark, Northwich, Rotherham, Sutton Coldfield and Weston Super Mare
- The 30 stores that have closed to date are: Andover, Basildon, Birkenhead, Bournemouth, Bridlington, Clacton, Covent Garden, Crewe (relocation), Darlington, Dover, Durham, Falkirk, Fareham, Fforestfach, Greenock (relocation), Keighley, Kettering, New Mersey Speke Shopping Park, Newmarket, Newry (relocation), Northampton, Portsmouth, Putney, Redditch, Slough, Stockport, Stockton, Walsall, Warrington and Wokingham
- The eight stores that have previously been announced as set to close are: East Kilbride, Edgware Broadwalk, Falmouth, Holloway Road, Kirkcaldy, Llandudno (relocation), St Helens (relocation) and Wigan (Foodhall opening at Robin Retail Park)
