M&S announces store to close in blow to high street

A Marks & Spencer staple store is set to close its doors after first opening 90 years ago. The retail giant's shop in southwest Scotland first opened in 1936 and has been there ever since. Residents of Kilmarnock will be dealt a major blow temporarily, until M&S opens its new store in the East Ayrshire region. A spokesperson for the company has now confirmed that the King Street location will be closing next year as they relocate to Queens Drive Retail Park.

The relocation will be for expansion purposes as the new trading spot will have a 62.5% larger food hall in the retail park. The new location is expected to be open by the end of next year. Staff at the current store will be affected by the closure, but all employees will be offered new roles at the new store or in the wider area.

David Anderson, M&S Regional Manager, said: "Customer shopping habits are changing, and we're adapting by rotating our store estate to ensure we have the right stores with the right space to deliver an excellent shopping experience for our customers.

"We're proud to announce a multi-million pound investment in relocating our Kilmarnock store to Queens Drive Retail Park, creating a modern 14,860 sq ft store with a 62.5% larger foodhall and an improved, accessible shopping environment.

"Once the new store opens in winter 2026, our existing King Street store will close.

"We are offering our colleagues alternative roles at the new store and in the wider area, and in the meantime, we look forward to continuing to serve the people of Kilmarnock."

This comes as M&S recently closed its Wolverhampton city centre store on Dudley Street. The iconic store, which opened in 1929, permanently closed down on September 27.

However, as part of the new transformation plan, Marks and Spencer will open more food halls, including six new food stores before Christmas, which will create 200 jobs.

The retailer opened a brand new market-style Foodhall on Southampton Street, in Covent Garden, on October 15, and re-opened two Foodhalls in Temple Fortune and Wimbledon after major transformations. November will see two more new Foodhalls open at Clapham Common and Fulham Broadway, in South London.