M&S St Nicholas store to permanently close

One of Aberdeen's most iconic stores is set to close it's doors after decades of serving customers in the city centre.

M&S bosses confirmed today their flagship store on St Nicholas street will shut in Spring 2025 to allow for a £15 million expansion on their current Union Square store.

It comes as the company announces £30 million of investment in Scottish stores across Scotland including Dundee, Edinburgh, Largs and Linlithgow.

It's been confirmed there will be no job losses - employees will be transferred to the new Union Square store or other stores nearby.

A statement released by the company reads: "As one of the biggest private sector investments in Aberdeen for years, these plans include £15m for M&S Aberdeen Union Square – next year expanding to almost the double the size with a spacious fresh market-style food hall full of exciting new features including a beautiful flower shop, a cheese barge, larger in-store bakery and dedicated M&S Wine Shop as well as bigger clothing, home and beauty departments – all designed to make shopping inspirational and easier than ever before.

"Spring 2025 is when the £15m expansion in Aberdeen Union Square is scheduled to complete and the city can boast the fourth biggest M&S in Scotland.

"M&S will then be closing its store on St Nicholas Street. Plans for this longer-term relocation have today been shared with colleagues – with all those on permanent contracts transferring over to M&S Aberdeen Union Square or other nearby stores next year."

Speculation around the future of Aberdeen's much-loved department store started when the supermarket announced several closures across the UK in May 2023.

The St Nicholas store first opened in 1944, before being demolished and reopening in the 1960s.

Rachel Rankine, North East Regional Manager for M&S, said: “The scale of our investment is a vote of confidence in the future of retail in Aberdeen city centre, with a flagship store on the same scale as city centre stores in Birmingham and Liverpool.

"Where we have already invested in new formats, our customers have responded to the destination shopping experience and Aberdeen shoppers can look forward to having a bigger, better, fresher food hall and the best in M&S clothing and home.”

The announcement has caused concern amongst some, with Kevin Stewart MSP calling on Aberdeen City Council to set up a taskforce.

He said: “Marks and Spencer has been at the heart of St Nicholas Street / Union Street, for decades and many in Aberdeen, including myself, are saddened to hear that the store there will be closing down.

“It is now vital that the Council set up a Task force, including all stakeholders, focused not only on finding a new tenant for the site, but securing a bright future for the surrounding area and Union Street as a whole.

“The investment in the Union Square store is welcome and a real vote of confidence in Aberdeen and I hope that M&S will ensure that all jobs are safe and secure.

“I wish them as long a future at Union Square as they have had at St Nicholas Street.”

Conservative MSP Liam Kerr joined in on the calls for action describing the news as "devastating".

Mr Kerr said: “The closure will leave a huge void in Aberdeen city centre just two years after we lost John Lewis and Debenhams.

“M&S has been based in Aberdeen since 1944 and formed a pivotal part of the regeneration of our city.

“While I welcome that no redundancies will be made and staff will be moved to an extended store at Union Square, the building cannot be left to rot, and I will be seeking clarity from M&S on what it is doing to ensure this doesn’t happen.

“This decision will have drastic consequences for both Union Street and the two shopping centres next door which is why I will continue to push the Scottish Government to introduce a 75% rates relief for businesses in the city.”

Marks and Spencer says it will work closely with the council and partners on the future development of the St Nicholas store.