Marks and Spencer rethinks Marble Arch store as shoppers migrate online
Marks and Spencer’s Marble Arch store (one of its largest locations in London) is to be redeveloped, with the upper floors converted to office space.
This is part of the retailer’s Never the Same Again transformation programme, which also includes the recent launch of 46 flagship websites in new markets, expanding its online reach to over 100 countries.
The new 10-storey building will include just two and a half floors of store space with several floors of offices and potentially leisure space such as a gym. It will have an arcade through its centre and space for 4,000 office workers on the higher floors.
According to a press release, the store “will be seamlessly integrated with M&S.com and equipped with the latest in-store digital shopping technology for customers and colleagues to choose from”.
Marks and Spencer’s bricks and mortar popularity has fallen sharply in recent years, while the coronavirus pandemic has seen many customers move online.
It is now “creating a store estate fit for the future”, according to Sacha Berendji, M&S’s Retail, Property & Operations Director.
“Under our Never the Same Again programme we are focused on emerging stronger from the pandemic,” he says.
“And today’s proposal not only means we can redevelop and modernise our store so that it better serves the local community on the UK’s destination high street, but by taking an assertive approach to the management of our asset base we can unlock additional value from the site at the same time and further support our transformation.”
He concludes: “We are really excited by the proposal and would encourage the local community to share views with us through our public exhibition which kicks off today.”
