Marks and Spencer has closed its historic Stall Street branch in Bath after 93 years of trading. The iconic store shut its doors as the retailer relocated operations to its new flagship store at Southgate, also in Bath, with staff moving to the new site.
The retailer has also confirmed additional closures of its in-store cafés. The M&S café at Barn Road, Congleton, Cheshire, will close to make way for expanded product ranges. Regional manager Katie Whelan said: 'After reviewing our Congleton store, we are re-purposing the café space in-store to provide more product choice and improve the shopping experience. We understand this will be disappointing news for some of our customers; however, our teams will continue working hard to serve them in-store.'
Despite these closures, Marks and Spencer has unveiled ambitious plans to launch 500 new stores across England over the coming years. The retailer confirmed it will open seven new branches this year, including full-line stores and food halls, such as its new Putney High Street store in London.
Gianina Socotinschi, store manager at M&S Putney High Street, said: 'We are so excited to return to Putney High Street with a fantastic food store for customers. There was a brilliant atmosphere for the opening and we have plenty of products on offer to explore, from our popular Nutrient Dense range to new seasonal launches. The team and I are looking forward to serving customers and showcasing the quality, trusted value and innovation M&S is known for.'
