October 21st 2024.
Marks & Spencer, a well-known retail store, has recently announced that it will be closing a quarter of its legacy stores. These are the stores that offer a variety of products such as clothing, homeware, and beauty items, in addition to food. The company is making this move as part of its ongoing plan to turn the business around.
The number of full-line stores, as they are called, will be reduced from 247 in 2022 to 180 over the next three years. At the same time, the number of food-only stores, known as "Simply Food" stores, will increase from 316 to 420. This shift in store offerings is a strategic decision made by the company's bosses in an effort to improve the overall performance of the business.
The most recent closure is that of a decades-old store in Crawley, West Sussex. This store, located on the town's Queensway high street, will be closing its doors for good on Saturday, November 16. Graham Bennett, the regional manager for M&S, confirmed that employees were informed earlier this year and that the company is working to find them alternative positions within the company.
According to Bennett, the company is having individual conversations with each employee and will offer them alternative roles whenever possible. He also expressed his gratitude to the customers who have shopped at the store, assuring them that they will continue to be served at the nearby Acorn Park M&S Food store.
The closure of this store has caused concern for some, including Crawley Borough Council leader Michael Jones. In a previous statement, he described it as a "real blow for the town centre." Many locals have also expressed their frustration at the decision, with one customer commenting on a Facebook post, "Very angry and upset about this." Another wrote, "This is not going to be good for our town. [It was] the only decent shop we had."
Fortunately, there is still an M&S food store open at Crawley's Acorn Park retail area, which is just under two miles away from the closing store. With the company's ongoing efforts to improve its high street offerings, customers can look forward to a better shopping experience in the future.
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