Marks & Spencer new stores: retailer M&S to open 9 shops in November in ‘biggest ever’ £80m investment

High street retailer Marks & Spencer is set to open nine stores across the UK this November, the biggest ever opening in a single month in the company’s history. The move is the result of an £80 million investment that is estimated to support more than 2,000 jobs.

The openings will feature three entirely new stores, three new Foodhalls, and three site renewals, and is part of M&S’ mission to become the UK’s leading omnichannel retailer. 

News of the historic opening endeavour comes as the retailer faces backlash over its 2023 Christmas advert, which saw Tan France chuck a board game into a fish tank, and Zawe Ashton beat the hell out of an Elf on the Shelf, which was criticised for not being in the spirit of Christmas.

The company also got in hot water over a since-deleted social media post showing festive Christmas hats thrown onto a fire, which some users believed was a coded anti-Palestine message.

Where are the new M&S stores?

The first November opening is a major new 65,000 square foot store in Birmingham’s Bullring on Tuesday 7 November. This will be followed by a new store in Lakeside Thurrock on 15 November, and Manchester Trafford Centre on 30 November. 

These new openings are all store relocations, and will open at former Debenhams sites.  The Lakeside and Trafford Centre stores will also have new M&S cafes. 

The new Foodhalls will open at Uckfield on 8 November, Earlsfield on 16 November, and Barnsley on 28 November. The store renewals opening this month are Camberley on 20 November, Handforth on 23 November, and the Foodhall at a Newcastle store on 29 November.

Earlier this year M&S set out a £500m investment plan for a store rotation programme which is designed to ensure that stores are in optimal locations. M&S has relocated new stores in Leeds White Rose and Liverpool ONE earlier this year.

Other new Foodhalls opened earlier this year include locations at Purley Way, Stockport and Clacton. These openings are not expected to create jobs, as they are all site relocations or renewals - instead M&S has claimed that around 2,200 existing jobs will be supported by the changes.

An M&S statement added: “Each store aims to appeal to local families, with customers able to browse in wider, brighter aisles and a clear line of sight across the store. With fresh market-style food halls stocking the full M&S Food range, spacious clothing, home and beauty departments, as well as free car parking.”