Marks and Spencer bosses insist Malvern store will not close despite fears raised - The Malvern Observer

Marks and Spencer bosses insist Malvern store will not close despite fears raised

Malvern Editorial 4th Feb, 2016 Updated: 20th Oct, 2016   0

MARKS and Spencer bosses have moved quickly to quash any fears its Malvern store will close down should another big branch open in a £40million shopping complex earmarked for Worcester.

The supermarket giant has dismissed concerns raised by councillors last month that the potential multi-million pound Worcester Woods development would lead to a worrying future for Malvern Shopping Park.

As reported in the Observer a fortnight ago, members of Malvern Town Council raised issues on the potential damaging effect the new development, would have on the retail park’s stores such as Marks and Spencer and Next which are also currently earmarked for the scheme.

However, since seeing the Observer’s article on January 20, Marks and Spencer bosses said they wanted to reassure the people of Malvern the store was going nowhere and insisted there are no plans to close.




A Marks and Spencer spokeswoman said: “We are planning to bring an exciting new Marks & Spencer store to Worcester as part of the new Worcester Woods retail scheme.

“We’d like to reassure customers that no existing M&S stores are planned to close as a result.”


The reassurance will please concerned councillors who, at the town council’s last strategic planning meeting, wished to object to it.

Land Securities has submitted a planning application to Worcester City Council for a new £40million retail park on land to the south of Newtown Road.

Coun Clive Smith said: “I think we should object to this.

“This could impact badly on the retail vitality of Malvern. You never know where the impact is going to come. This is big and the people of Malvern will go to it.”

Coun Patrick Mewton added: “If Marks and Spencer opens up there, they’ll close down the one in our retail park.”

Malvern councillors also suggested the site would be better suited for an expansion to Worcestershire Royal Hospital

Malvern Shopping Park bosses have tabled plans to build a small expansion on the Roman Way site.

A planning application to build a two-storey retail building next to the Boots store to provide further retail space and 50 extra car parking spaces was recently submitted to Malvern Hills District Council.

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