Marks and Spencer to open 3 new stores in March — full list and dates

Marks and Spencer has announced the opening of three brand-new food stores, as well as the reopening of a current site that underwent a transformation. The locations opened their doors to the public over the course of March, as the chain hopes to attract more family shoppers to the business.

According to M&S, the three new openings are to create over 200 jobs combined, building on more than 20 new and revamped stores that it has opened so far this financial year. A new 15,000 sq ft fresh market-style food store opened last week at Hatfield Oldings Corner, Hertfordshire, as well as a 16,000 sq ft Luton Bramingham location, set to be followed by a 18,600 sq ft store in Farnham, Surrey this coming Wednesday (March 25).

M&S’s new locations will offer a range of food products, hoping to appeal to customers who are looking to do their weekly food shop.

Each of the new stores will stock either all or the majority of the full M&S Food catalogue including its Remarksable Value range of everyday essentials, as well as the family-friendly Bigger Pack Better Value range.

The Bigger Pack Better Value range was expanded by a third last year to total over 100 products. With the larger format Foodhalls, customers can now shop with some of the latest features in M&S, such as a hot chicken counter, in-store bakery and coffee counter serving barista-made drinks, and M&S’ popular cheese barge.

M&S revealed that the hot chicken counter is available in Luton Bramingham and Hatfield Oldings Corner stores. The cheese barge is available in Luton Bramingham, while the in-store bakery and coffee counter can be found in all three stores.

The retailer also announced the re-opening of one of its existing stores in Essex. The store at Westway Chelmsford underwent an eight-week transformation, to help offer more products to customers and improve shopping experience.

Westway Chelmsford re-opened its doors on Thursday, March 19.

Alex Freudmann, Managing Director at M&S Food, said: “We’re transforming M&S Food and we want every store we have to offer the very best of the food range to our customers – from trusted value to exceptional quality and innovation. To do that, we are finding the right store locations with the right space across the UK that can allow us to offer the widest possible product range for customers and families.

“This month, we’re bringing M&S Food to three new towns, and we have a strong pipeline of new openings planned for the year ahead.”

M&S also explained that its looking for new, large sites across 500 locations in the UK. This is to help find places that can stock the full range of M&S Food.