Spalding Marks and Spencer foodhall announces closure date
The doors are set to close at Spalding’s Marks and Spencer Foodhall for the final time on May 1 - marking the end of an era for the town.
M&S bosses announced on Thursday that they had broken the news to staff, which was followed by an outpouring of sadness from customers.
The Foodhall in Winfrey Avenue was originally earmarked for closure in April last year due to restructuring by the company. But its closure was twice delayed after MP for South Holland and the Deepings Sir John Hayes and South Holland District Council leaders stepped in.
Lee Boon, M&S regional manager, said on Thursday: “Today we have updated colleagues that the store will close permanently on May 1. We delayed the closure last year so the local community could access their food essentials during the lockdowns, and we are grateful to our colleagues for their incredible hard work during this time.
“Shopping habits are changing, so we’re reshaping our store estate so it is fit for the future and closing the Spalding store is a difficult but necessary part of these changes.
“We remain committed to our customers in the local area and will continue to serve them from marksandspencer.com and other stores in the area, including Bourne Foodhall, where customers can also pick up Clothing & Home products in store via Click & Collect.”
Speaking after the latest announcement, Coun Gary Taylor, portfolio holder for communities and facilities, said he hoped M&S would consider returning to the town centre in the future.
“It is a blow, we can’t hide from that. I am a customer, the family are customers. It is a busy shop.
“They have made their decision but it is now about trying to see what we can do to persuade them to return in the future.
“It is very disappointing news for the staff. They have been very loyal. They have carried on despite the uncertainty and carried on being enthusiastic.”
And he urged people to shop local, such as in the independent stores, as well as welcoming the exciting plans by Coneys, the new owners of Hills Department Store.
District councillor Harry Drury, portfolio holder for commercialisation and growth, added: “I am just
extremely saddened to learn that they have now chosen a date for closure.
“As far as I am concerned Marks and Spencer has been an asset to the town and helped increase footfall.
“I did have a meeting at their head office when the closure was first
announced, with (council leader) Gary Porter and Anna Graves (then chief executive) to discuss with them the possibility of encouraging them to remain in the town; but it was largely due to the restructuring of M&S.”
He also hoped M&S could be encouraged one day to return to the town centre.
MP Sir John Hayes said he would be asking M&S again to rethink their decision.
“I understand it is much to do with their overall trading and corporate decisions rather than Spalding itself,” he said.
“During the pandemic they have done more business locally and I have seen no evidence of customer numbers falling.
“I still think it is worth them rethinking it. I know retail is having a tough time and I know M&S has their own problems but there is a good argument for rethinking.
“I managed to get the store to delay before and I am going to go back to them again to see if I can get them to maintain the store for longer. It is surprising that the one in Bourne is being retained. I would say Spalding has more potential for them but I suspect M&S is looking at it more generally.”
Sir John added that he felt the store could be in a better location and said we need to encourage businesses to stay in the town and not go out of town.
“When I said to them if there was a more suitable location would they reconsider, they said they would. They did not say it was a once and for all decision,” he added.
