The Marks & Spencers store on Sauchiehall Street is set to close in a major blow for Glasgow's city centre.
The landmark store could shut as soon as April following a review of the retailer's property portfolio, reports Daily Business Group.
The news comes following an announcement in May last year that 30 M&S stores across the UK will close, owing to 'changing shopping habits'.
David Bates, M&S regional manager, says staff working at the store will be supported during the move as the retailer aims to invest in other Glasgow locations.
He told Glasgow Live: “Shopping habits are changing, and this means we need to focus our investment on the right stores in the right places so we can provide the very best shopping experience for our Glasgow customers.
“As part of this transformation, we have today announced to colleagues our proposals to close our Sauchiehall Street store in April 2022.
“This decision means we can invest in our 12 other Glasgow stores including nearby M&S Argyle Street – so we keep pace with the demands of our customers today and in the future.
“Our priority now is to talk to our colleagues about what this announcement means for them and to support them through these changes.”
Meanwhile, Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, has said the news comes as a 'significant blow' for the city centre: “This latest high street closure is yet another sign of the damage that we are continuing to see amid pandemic restrictions.
“The closure of Marks and Spencer will come as a significant blow for Sauchiehall Street, highlighting the impact that the drop in footfall we have experienced across our struggling city centres has had on businesses.
“We may now have reached the time for coordinated intervention to reverse Sauchiehall Street’s decline.”
Yesterday we reported on the news the Tesco Extra store at Parkhead will close in Glasgow's east end, sparking job fears. The supermarket will open for the last tine on April 30 after the retailer failed to agree on a lease extension with the landlord.
