Multiple reports indicate Marks and Spencer is re-purposing in-store cafe spaces to make way for more space for other products. According to an official statement, Katie Whelan, a regional manager at Marks and Spencer, said the company is re-purposing café space to provide more product choice and improve the shopping experience, acknowledging disappointment but emphasizing continued service. She added that many customers want to shop a wider range of M&S Food.
The exact timeline for the closure of the 14 cafes across the UK and how many jobs will be affected remain unknown. Specific closures include the M&S café at Barn Road, Congleton, Cheshire, which will close to make way for expanded product ranges. Marks and Spencer closed its historic Stall Street branch in Bath, which had been trading for 93 years, and relocated operations from that branch to its new flagship store at Southgate, Bath.
We are so excited to return to Putney High Street with a fantastic food store for customers. There was a brilliant atmosphere for the opening and we have plenty of products on offer to explore, from our popular Nutrient Dense range to new seasonal launches. The team and I are looking forward to serving customers and showcasing the quality, trusted value and innovation M&S is known for.
Marks and Spencer will open seven new branches this year, including full-line stores and food halls, with the new M&S Putney High Street store in London opening on February 25. According to Daily Mirror - Main, Gianina Socotinschi, the store manager at M&S Putney High Street, expressed excitement about returning to the area with a food store offering products like the Nutrient Dense range and seasonal launches. What specific new customer services or product ranges will replace the closed cafe spaces is not yet clear.
None of the M&S London branches is affected by the cafe closures. The financial impact or rationale behind closing cafes while expanding store numbers, and which other M&S stores might be affected by similar changes in the future, have not been disclosed.