Marks and Spencer shoppers have bid farewell to staff as two stores in the North-East of England prepare to shut down. The popular retailer, known for its upmarket groceries, beauty, and fashion items, will close branches in Sunderland and Hexham within the next week. The closures come weeks after the British brand, which has been a mainstay on the high street since 1884, announced the move. The two stores are less than an hour’s drive apart, so the closures will undoubtedly be felt by those living between Hexham and Sunderland. Shoppers in Hexham will say goodbye to the Maidan’s Walk M&S on Friday, May 25. The retailer said the decision was prompted by “changing” shopping habits and added that it had invested £13 million in its North East stores over the past year. However, this has not softened the blow for shoppers who frequent the store, including one man who took to Twitter to say: “M&S announced their closure decision for the Hexham store in February 2024, after 16 years of trading. Counting down the last 10 days now, and they’ll be a real miss. Thank you and good luck to all the staff.” Another added: “Can we please take a moment to reflect that those M&S tills in Hexham will be getting turned on for the final time in just under two weeks?” Marks and Spencer fans in Sunderland will see the branch on High Street West close its doors for good on the same day as those in Hexham. The double-whammy store closure is a crushing blow to those who frequent the city center. A sign posted in the store has urged customers to visit their nearest alternative store in the Galleries Shopping Centre, Washington, which is an 18-minute drive away. One saddened local took to Twitter to say: “It’s actually happening. Sunderland M&S closing 25th May. So now the only food shop we have in the city center is Iceland – which has one till open at busy times and the food comes frozen in boxes.” The closures are part of the supermarket giant’s plans to shake up its high street store presence, with the company announcing in October 2022 that 67 “lower productivity” branches would shut down over the following five years.
Shoppers Express Sadness as Two Marks and Spencer Stores Prepare to Shut Down
