Marks and Spencer expansion plans: hopes of more new stores in Sussex

M&S has announced that it proposes to open 20 new UK stores in a move that will create more than 3,400 jobs.

The company says it will open eight full-line stores in shopping centres, retail parks and high streets, selling both food and clothing.

Not all the locations of the new stores have yet been revealed but among them will be one at Lakeside Thurrock with others in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool.

All of these will be full-line stores converted from old Debenhams sites as part of M&S’s pledge to regenerate vacant store outlets.

Twelve new food halls will also be opened and M&S said the openings will bring investment in new stores to £480 million, with the new plans coming under a wider restructure of its business.

The group last year revealed it would reduce the number of its full-line stores by 67 to 180 by early 2026. Chief executive Stuart Machin said stores were a “key part” of the group’s future, alongside online trading.

He said: “Stores are a core part of M&S’s omni-channel future and serve as a competitive advantage for how customers want to shop today. Our store rotation programme is about making sure we have the right stores, in the right place, with the right space and we’re aiming to rotate from the 247 stores we have today to 180 higher-quality, higher-productivity full-line stores that sell our full clothing, home and food offer whilst also opening over 100 bigger, better food sites.

“The out-performance of our recently relocated and renewed stores give us the confidence to go faster in our plan.”

Marks and Spencer has been asked to confirm if new stores will be opening in Sussex. The county still has a number of former Debenhams stores lying empty.