Marks & Spencer has revealed a significant investment plan totalling £38m into two new flagship stores located in Bristol and Bath.
- The Bath location involves relocating the existing store to an 83,000 sq ft site in Southgate shopping centre.
- In Bristol, M&S will open an 80,000 sq ft store in Cabot Circus, marking a return to the city centre.
- The strategic move forms part of a larger rotation strategy to optimise store locations in the UK.
- Expected job creation at these sites includes 150 new positions in Bristol alone.
Marks & Spencer has officially announced an ambitious expansion strategy with a £38m investment to establish two flagship stores in Southgate shopping centre, Bath, and Cabot Circus shopping centre, Bristol. This endeavour signifies M&S’s strategic focus on adjusting its store footprint to better serve its customer base.
In Bath, the retailer will be relocating its existing outlet from Stall Street to a newly acquired 83,000 sq ft location within the Southgate shopping centre. This move, commanding a substantial £17m investment, not only renews the retailer’s presence in Bath but also promises to invigorate retail dynamics in the area. Importantly, employees from the current Bath store have been given the opportunity to transfer to this new location.
Meanwhile, the forthcoming Bristol flagship will occupy an 80,000 sq ft space in Cabot Circus and involves a £21m financial outlay. This marks M&S’s reinvigorated presence in Bristol’s city centre and is anticipated to create up to 150 jobs, enhancing both local employment and economic activity. The stores are set to feature extensive offerings, including food halls and a diverse range of clothing and beauty products.
CEO Stuart Machin, highlighting the company’s commitment to customer experience, stated, “We want to offer the best possible shopping experience for customers every single time they shop with us. Our store rotation programme is all about ensuring we have the right stores in the right place and with the right space to excite and inspire our customers, including in city centres.”
This expansion reflects M&S’s broader store rotation initiative, which outlines plans to inaugurate up to four new full-line stores alongside nine new food halls across the UK in this financial year. Moreover, the retailer has disclosed separate plans to invest over £30m in its various London-based outlets, further supporting local employment with approximately 100 new jobs projected.
M&S’s investment in new flagship stores in Bristol and Bath underscores its strategic commitment to enhancing customer access and optimising store locations.
