M&S has announced plans to open 'bigger, better' stores in former Debenhams sites across the UK with a £480m investment. The retailer’s scheme will create more than 3,400 new jobs across the country and will take over five vacant former Debenhams department stores.
M&S says it has identified sites for 20 new "bigger, better stores" to be opened in the next financial year. The new store pipeline for 23/24 includes eight full line destination stores in key city locations including a new 97,000 sq ft store in Leeds White Rose and a 70,000 sq ft store in Liverpool ONE, both due to open in Summer 2023.
Later in the year, other major stores will open, including a 65,000 sq ft store in Birmingham Bullring (Autumn 2023), a 96,000 sq ft store in Manchester’s Trafford Centre and a 98,000 sq ft store in Lakeside Thurrock, both set to open in Winter 2023. All five of these new stores will be relocated to former Debenhams sites – two new store locations are yet to be named, leaving the possibility open that Nottingham's closed Debenhams could yet part of the plans.
