Marks & Spencer (M&S) is opening a brand new store tomorrow and has confirmed that a further 17 more openings are planned for this year.
M&S will open a new megastore in Leeds White Rose shopping centre tomorrow at 10am.
The new store will house several facilities including its own flower shop, food hall, a 164 seat digital cafe and a "bigger and better" bakery.
It will also have a huge beauty department, and a dedicated area to showcase M&S' Home Collection.
The new M&S site was first announced in January as part of a nationwide investment to expand and improve its stores.
The new store will be situated in former Debenhams premises.
M&S chief executive Stuart Machin has described the Leeds White Rose store to be M&S' "best [store] so far”.
If you fancy heading down to check out the new store you may want to get there early as the first 200 customers through the door will be given a golden ticket with a prize inside.
These prizes range from a packet of Percy Pig sweets to exclusive discounts and money-off vouchers - Percy Pig will be on-hand to welcome shoppers to the new store tomorrow.
After the grand opening on Thursday, the White Rose site will be open Monday to Friday from 8am– 9pm, Saturday 8am – 8pm and on Sunday, 11am – 5pm - although shoppers will be able to browse from 10:30am.
In its recent accounts released today, M&S shared that it had plans to open 18 new stores over the next year - this includes the Leeds White Rose site.
This includes full-line M&S stores and M&S Food Halls.
Full-line stores are those that sell both home and clothing ranges.
Several of the full-line stores announced so far and set to open by the end of the year are relocations of former M&S sites.
Alongside these sites, M&S is planning to open three new Food Halls by the end of the year.
These are planned to be in Stockport, Barnsley, and Largs.
More sites are still to be announced.
M&S revealed today that its pre-tax profit came in at £482million in the year to April 1 2023.
This was down from £522million last year, but better than expectations of £431million.
M&S boss Stuart Machin said the performance was evidence of progress in the retailer’s "turnaround plan".
This turnaround plan consisted of M&S shutting dozens of its larger stores in an overhaul of its portfolio.
Full list of M&S stores opening over the next year so far
New full-line stores (relocations):
- Leeds White Rose (opens tomorrow)
- Liverpool One (expected Summer)
- Birmingham Bullring (expected Autumn)
- Lakeside Thurrock (expected Winter)
- Trafford Centre (expected Winter)
New Foodhalls:
- Stockport (expected Summer)
- Barnsley (expected Autumn)
- Largs (expected Winter)
