Queues of people lined up outside the new Bristol Sparks store in Broadmead which opened at middaytoday (Saturday May 13). The huge new department store has replaced the old Marks and Spencer.
There was a buzz of excitement as shoppers were allowed through the doors to “the department store with a difference” as it’s no longer where you only buy clothes, but also to get advice, be educated and express creativity.
Taking a look through the ground floor, there’s still plenty of fashion along with a host of other offerings. This includes an energy help desk, a Baby Bank Network and an art gallery to name a few, as well as a range of food and drink and lovely gift shops.
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With sustainability being a focus for the new centre, there are shops and stalls which repair and recycle goods, a second hand furniture and recycling electricals. There are also lots of exhibitions and for commuters wanting to find out about bus routes, First Bus and Travel West have a desk.
The former M&S store closed in January 2022 and the new store with focus on arts and sustainability has two floors. The upper floor has rehearsal rooms which are open for booking, with an option for schools to book space as well.
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Education charity Global Goals Centre together with Artspace Lifespace have teamed up to turn the store into a “vibrant, positive venue where local people and visitors can shop, recycle and explore what a greener and fairer creative future could look like.”
Ahead of the opening, Jenny Foster, project lead at Global Goals Centre said: “We’re hoping Sparks will enable people to make more sustainable choices, to recycle goods, just to make things more accessible and affordable for people.”
Shoppers can also help to make a difference as a clothes swap will help reduce the number of unwanted clothes going to waste every year.
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