Marks & Spencer releases list of store closures under plans to shut more than 100 shops
Marks and Spencer has released a list of store closures under wide-ranging plans to move a third of its sales online.
The business intends to close more than 100 stores by 2022 and on Tuesday named 14 that are either set for closure or proposed to close.
In total, 872 employees are affected by the announcement.
The closures are mainly directed at under-performing M&S clothing and home stores.
Shops definitely earmarked for closure include:
Bayswater, Fleetwood Outlet and Newton Abbot Outlet - all three are to close by the end of July
Clacton and Holloway Road - both are to close by early 2019
Some stores have been proposed for closure with M&S to enter a period of consultation with employees. These include:
Darlington, East Kilbride, Falkirk, Kettering, Newmarket, New Mersey, Speke, Northampton, Stockton and Walsall - all nine stores have been proposed for closure
M&S says it will consult with the 626 affected employees across the nine stores proposed for closure and will offer transfers to other sites before considering redundancy.
Sacha Berendji, retail operations and property director at Marks and Spencer, said: "Closing stores isn't easy but it is vital for the future of M&S.
"Where we have closed stores, we are seeing an encouraging number of customers moving to nearby stores and enjoying shopping with us in a better environment, which is why we're continuing to transform our estate with pace."