SALES at Marks and Spencer’s new retail branch at Stane Retail Park have exceeded expectations according to new figures released by the retailer.

The new store opened in September last year, and the retailer announced on Wednesday that sales in its clothing and home sales department were 26 per cent above its original estimates at the Tollgate store.

The statistics come as Marks and Spencer announces plans to accelerate the overhaul of its UK portfolio, with the company looking to open 20 new shops and create more than 3,400 nationally.

New food halls are set to open in Stockport and Barnsley, and there are still hopes that Marks and Spencer will return to Colchester city centre in some guise, though it is most likely to be in the form of a smaller store.

Last year, High Steward of Colchester, Sir Bob Russell, met with Marks and Spencer chairman Archie Norman in September last year to discuss the closure of the branch in the High Street, which had been in place for 80 years.

Indeed, Sir Bob has said that his meeting with Mr Norman involved a conversation where the retail boss said the company has plans to open 40 food halls by 2025.

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Marks & Spencer has announced plans to ramp up its store overhaul with aims to open 20 new shops across the UK in a move that will create more than 3,400 jobs.

The new openings will bring investment in new stores to £480 million, M&S said.

Chief executive Stuart Machin said stores were a “key part” of the group’s future, alongside online trading.

He said: “Our store rotation programme is about making sure we have the right stores, in the right place, with the right space and we’re aiming to rotate from the 247 stores we have today to 180 higher-quality, higher-productivity full-line stores that sell our full clothing, home and food offer whilst also opening over 100 bigger, better food sites.

“The out-performance of our recently relocated and renewed stores give us the confidence to go faster in our plan.”

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