Marks & Spencer has announced it will create 3,400 jobs across the UK as part of plans to transform its stores.
It plans to open eight full-line stores stocking clothing, groceries and household goods in cities including Liverpool, Birmingham and Leeds over the next year.
Five of the stores to be opened are on former Debenhams locations.
It also plans to open 12 food halls as part of a major overhaul of the company’s portfolio, which will see an overall reduction in its traditional stores.
The new Simply Food stores will open in towns including Stockport, Barnsley and Largs in North Ayrshire, Scotland, as the company looks to expand its food business.
Five of the eight new “full-line” stores will be built on former Debenhams sites in Leeds White Rose, Liverpool ONE, Birmingham Bullring, Manchester Trafford and Lakeside Thurrock shopping centres.
A new shop will also open in Purley, London, while the other two are yet to be named.
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Marks & Spencer said it is investing £480million in its “store rotation scheme” which will create 3,400 jobs over the next three to five years.
The jobs were confirmed to be new roles, in addition to those that could be part of deals moving to other territories.
M&S CEO Stuart Machin said the program is about “ensuring we have the right stores in the right place with the right space”.
“The outperformance of our recently relocated and renewed stores gives us the confidence to execute our plan faster,” he added.
Last year, M&S announced plans to reduce the number of its full-line shops from 247 to 180 by 2028.
The retailer wants fewer but better home stores as shoppers spend more online.
Russ Mold, investment director at AJ Bell, said it was “significant” that M&S announced its investment figures at a time when the “retail environment is not exactly vibrant”.
“The company announced plans last October to close a large number of stores, reducing its presence in retail parks and the High Street on a net basis.
“However, it shows that physical retail continues to play a role and that Marks & Spencer sees its multi-format stores with a mix of clothing, homeware and groceries as a competitive advantage.
“The push to redesign the storefront also shows that it recognizes the importance of locations that are attractive to shoppers and are in the right places to attract healthy visitors.”
The new vacancy comes after M&S emerged as one of the winners of the holiday trading season, with a 6.3% increase in like-for-like sales at its grocery stores in the 13 weeks ended December 31.
The company also saw an 8.6% increase in sales in its apparel and housewares divisions.
It said recent sales at the stores, which have already been revamped as part of the overhaul, have traded better than expected, with clothing and home sales at its new store in Colchester topping plans by 26%.
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