Business boss 'confident' M&S will stay in Colchester High Street

The retail giant has announced it will be closing 30 more stores across the country as part of the next phase of its long-term transformation plan.

Changes are being accelerated in the wake of the pandemic with a year of lockdowns leading the firm record a £201 million annual loss in the past year.

M&S has had a presence in Colchester since 1911, with its High Street store first opening in 1931 and now employing more than 150 people.

An M&S foodstore is also being built at Stane Retail Park in Stanway.

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Sam Good, manager of Our Colchester Business Improvement District, described the firm as a “mainstay” of Colchester town centre.

Task force - BID manager Sam Good

He said: “It is popular amongst shoppers both for its food and retail offering.

“A lot of national chains are looking at their models and looking to change things. Covid has accelerated these changes.

“We believe the Colchester town centre M&S is a strong store in their portfolio. We are seeing some really strong footfall stats in Colchester town centre after lockdown.

“M&S for us is one of the key stores in the town centre and I am fairly confident they will be staying.”

Day of celebrations to mark 100 years of the store in Colchester. marks and spencer mayor helen chuah and manager garry easter ( cor)

The 30 planned closures will be part of a shake-up of around 110 stores, with the majority set for relocation.

The firm said the pandemic has provided it with a strong opportunity to purchase new locations with the group targeting six stores in ex-Debenhams units.

M&S plans to reduce the number of its full-line stores, selling food and clothing, from 254 to 180 over the next decade.

The High Street shockwave comes in the wake of retail giant Debenhams closing all its 118 shops nationwide.

The retailer had been in business for 242 years but closed earlier this month with the loss of 12,000 jobs.

steve brading 21-08-12 Colchester High Street, looking from Marks and Spencer and the Taxis Rank back towards Angel Court.

The Colchester branch, which opened in the Culver Square shopping centre, in 1987, closed on May 15.

It is not yet known what will happen to the building.

Steve Rowe, chief executive at Marks & Spencer, said: “In a year like no other we have delivered a resilient trading performance, thanks in no small part to the extraordinary efforts of our colleagues.

“In addition, by going further and faster in our transformation through the Never The Same Again programme, we moved beyond fixing the basics to forge a reshaped M&S.

“With the right team in place to accelerate change in the trading businesses and build a trajectory for future growth, we now have a clear line of sight on the path to make M&S special again. The transformation has moved to the next phase.”