Marks and Spencer store on Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street closes down

The historic shop has shut its doors for the final time after 87 years of trading

Author: Sophie AdamsPublished 30th Apr 2022
Last updated 30th Apr 2022

The Marks and Spencer store on Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street has closed its doors for the final time after 87 years of trading.

The historic shop, which opened in 1935, served its last customers at around midday on Saturday.

The store was the first in Scotland to have a café and had staff wearing co-ordinated uniforms for the first time.

In January, the closure was announced in response to “changing” shopping habits.

Despite investment in recent years, with a redevelopment increasing space for pedestrians and cyclists, Sauchiehall Street has continued to experience large numbers of vacant units.

M&S assured staff that it had found alternative roles for the majority of the Sauchiehall Street shop's employees.

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Rowe took charge during a turbulent period for the company, which has seen more than 60 store closures and major changes to how it operates.

In March, Marks and Spencer’s chief executive Steve Rowe announced he would stand down after six years in the role as the business enters the “second phase of its transformation”.

Confirming the closure in January, David Bates, M&S regional manager, said: “Shopping habits are changing, and this means we need to focus our investment on the right stores in the right places so we can provide the very best shopping experience for our Glasgow customers."

Shoppers peer into the closed M&S store on Saturday, April 30

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“This means we can invest in our twelve other Glasgow stores including nearby M&S Argyle Street – so we keep pace with the demands of our customers today and in the future," he added.

“We’ve worked hard to find alternative roles with M&S for as many colleagues as possible and have achieved this for the majority of those affected."

He continued: “We want to make sure our existing site finds a complementary alternative use for the area, and we are in discussions with a potential partner. We will keep the community updated as these developments progress.

“Our priority is supporting everyone through these changes. We would like to thank all our brilliant Sauchiehall St colleagues – past and present – and all our Glasgow customers who have shopped with us in this store."

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