Marks & Spencer aims to shut nine stores

British department store group Marks & Spencer is planning to shut nine stores across the UK, as part of its scheme to improve space management throughout its estate. Stores in the pipeline to be closed include five outlet stores in Hounslow, Pontypridd, Aldershot, Walsall and North Shields Royal Quays; three full-range M&S stores in London's Wood Green, Stevenage in Hertfordshire and The Fort Birmingham.

The department is set to offer all employees at the listed locations re-employment in other store locations if the closures go ahead as planned. M&S revealed to Retail Week that the group does not plan on adding additional net general merchandise space this financial year but is adding more space for its food sector. "We are managing our store estate to ensure it is fit for the future of M&S and will continue to ensure we’re in the best locations to serve our customers," commented a spokesperson for M&S.

"As we said at our preliminary results, we have a clear property strategy which includes opening 250 Food stores and further improving the quality of our general merchandise space."