Marks & Spencer Outlet in Crawley to Close After 56 Years

A Marks & Spencer retail location, described by local residents as a ‘landmark’ in Crawley town centre for 56 years, is ceasing operations. The prominent retailer indicated that the cessation of business for the West Sussex outlet was partly attributable to evolving consumer purchasing patterns. The M&S establishment commenced operations in Queensway in October 1968; however, it will conclude trading on Saturday. Local inhabitants expressed that they were “sad to see it go” and commented that the town centre was in a “sorry state”. Vanessa Roberts, a resident who has resided in the town since 1982, conveyed to BBC Radio Sussex: “It’s shocking really because the town centre is just empty. It’s just coffee shops, charity shops, barbers and nail salons.“M&S has been here as long as I’ve lived here. It’s really sad.” A different local resident stated: “It’s a landmark store for the town, it’s a bit of a shame that it’s closing but I guess that’s the times changing.“It’s a shame to be losing an iconic store in the town centre.” In 1947, Crawley received designation as a new town, incorporating the villages of Three Bridges and Ifield alongside the existing small market town of Crawley to complete its development. The town experienced continued rapid expansion, and in 1958, Queen Elizabeth II inaugurated Queens Square, the primary retail plaza situated a few hundred metres from the M&S establishment. The retail outlet will operate from 08:00 GMT until 16:00 on Saturday, marking its final day of business. Graham Bennett, the M&S regional manager, stated that discussions were underway with employees at the Crawley outlet, and where feasible, they would be presented with alternative positions within M&S. He added: “Thank you to all our customers who have shopped at the store – we will continue to work hard serving you at our nearby Acorn Park M&S Food.”Shopping habits are changing and our store rotation strategy is all about making sure we have the right stores with the right space – in the past year we have invested more than £12m in our stores across the South East.” M&S indicated its willingness to invest in a new retail location in Crawley at a later date, provided a suitable site is identified. For updates, follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story proposals can be sent to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp at 08081 002250. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.