North Berwick, a charming seaside town just a short train ride from Edinburgh, boasts a lovely high street, stunning natural beauty, and world-class golf courses. Explore its independent shops, savor delicious seafood, and witness the awe-inspiring Bass Rock, home to a massive gannet colony. This hidden gem offers a perfect blend of coastal charm, historical significance, and outdoor adventures.
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Marks and Spencer shoppers have expressed dismay as two stores in the North East of England prepare to close their doors for good. The closures of the Hexham and Sunderland branches come as part of the retailer’s plan to restructure its high street presence, which will see 110 stores closed and 100 opened over the next five years. Shoppers have taken to social media to bid farewell to the stores and wish the staff well. One shopper said: “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.”
The high street has faced challenges in recent years due to the rise of online shopping, leading to the closure of several beloved brands. Iconic names such as Woolworths, Blockbuster, BHS, Debenhams, and Barratts have become nostalgic memories, leaving a void in the shopping landscape.
M&Co, a popular fashion brand that entered administration in 2022, is set to make a triumphant return to the high street just one year after closing all of its stores. The retailer is poised to open a brand new store in Newton Mearns, Scotland, within weeks. This marks a significant milestone for the brand since being taken over by AK Retail Holdings in May 2023.
M&Co, which was acquired by competitor retailer Yours Clothing after entering administration in December 2022, was initially anticipated to return in Autumn 2023. Yours Clothing had plans to open 50 new M&Co shops over two years, but there was no sign of the brand on the high street at the end of 2023.
The new M&Co store in Newton Mearns will be located where the previous one stood before it went into administration and is expected to welcome customers from May 3. The store will offer a wide range of fashionable, quality clothing in UK sizes 8-20, including the M&Co petite range. Six jobs will be created to launch the branch, which will provide exclusive discounts for customers who attend the opening, including a £5 voucher off a £25 spend for the first 50 customers.
Greggs has closed its Great Portland Street branch in London, leaving loyal customers devastated. The bakery chain, with over 2,000 locations nationwide, has been a high street staple for decades. The closure follows a wave of restaurant and pub shutdowns post-pandemic, as well as branch closures by large chains like Wetherspoons and Frankie & Benny’s.
Costa Coffee is set to close its Inglis Street store in Inverness, Scotland, in July. The closure is part of the company’s regular review of its store estate to ensure it is right for its communities and teams. Costa says it is currently having conversations with all of its store team members and aims to re-deploy them to nearby stores.
Another blow to the British high street as Clarks shoe store in Abingdon shuts down, leaving customers devastated. Experts cite a combination of factors including rising costs, reduced spending, and the impact of online shopping as contributing to the closure. The number of job losses in the retail sector remains significant, with experts warning of further failures in the coming year.
M&Co, the popular fashion chain, is making a triumphant return to the high street with the grand opening of a new store in Newton Mearns, Scotland, on May 3rd. This significant milestone follows the brand’s acquisition by AK Retail Holdings in May 2023.
