M&S to open new flagships in Bath and Bristol

News of a brand new store and a major relocation ensures M&S’ physical expansion roadshow continues apace, with both opening in key destinations across the South West of England.

The first M&S ​​in Bath. The retailer’s £17m investment in the historic city will see it open a new 83,000 sq ft store in SouthGate shopping centre, operated by the British retailer.

It will combine the retailer’s extensive clothing and beauty ranges alongside M&S Food, moving from its current location in Stall Street when SouthGate opens. The opening date has not yet been announced.

Darren Richards, head of property for property giant British Land, said: “SouthGate’s prominent city center location and strong national transport links create a compelling proposition for our occupiers and following this permit we are delighted that the scheme is now let on full”.

Secondly, the retailer is to return to Bristol city centre, spending a further £21m to open a new 80,000 sq ft flagship store in the city’s Cabot Circus shopping destination.

It will again feature Clothing and Beauty alongside M&S Food, with the yet-to-be-announced opening expected to create around 150 new jobs.

Hammerson’s CEO of Cabot Circus operator Rita-Rose Gagné said: “Having seen the positive impact of (M&S’s) presence in our other destinations… the brand resonates with our core areas and this new store will support our strategy to create a leading destination. , thrives in the heart of Bristol city centre.”

The retailer said Cabot Circus will complement its existing offering in the Bristol area, which includes stores in Avonmeads, Eastgate, Imperial Park and Whiteladies Road, as well as Longwell Green and Cribbs Causeway, the latter of which is also undergoing transformation.

M&S currently has over 45 stores in the South West, employing over 4,000 people. It said these latest investments build on the £6m spent on its existing South West stores over the past three years.

It added that both the Bath and Bristol businesses are part of the retailer’s “store rotation strategy” to ensure it has the right stores in the right place and with the right space to offer customers a brilliant shopping experience.

CEO Stuart Machin added: “So far we’ve seen great results where we’ve relocated stores to city centers like Liverpool and Birmingham, helping us attract new customers and giving us the confidence to move faster with the strategy.”

At its recent full-year results, the retailer announced plans to open up to four new full-service stores in the UK in the current financial year.