Marks and Spencer has confirmed the closure of 11 in-store cafes nationwide as part of its modernisation plans, with branches in Hull and Ipswich amongst those affected
Marks and Spencer has announced the shutdown of 11 of its in-store cafés across the country and the opening of one store ahead of Christmas. The retail giant, which runs over 300 food outlets throughout the UK, will see fewer than 4% of its premises impacted by these closures.
Outlets in Anlaby, Hull, and Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, are among those set to shut permanently in 2025, reports the Express.
A company representative explained earlier this year: “As we look to modernise our food business and offer the best of M&S Food to more people, more often, we’re investing in our store estate to give our customers the widest possible product range. This includes opening brand-new coffee shops offering delicious food and barista-made fairtrade coffee, including at our brand-new Bristol Cabot Circus store.
“In some of our small Food stores, where customers want a greater range of M&S Food, our transformation also involves repurposing cafe space across 11 small food stores, out of over 300 M&S cafes, coffee shops and coffee-to-go locations.”
This announcement follows M&S’ closure its Wolverhampton city centre branch on Dudley Street. The historic shop, which originally welcomed customers in 1929, ceased trading permanently on September 27. Despite shutting down cafes, the retailer’s transformation strategy involves launching more food halls, with several new food stores set to open before Christmas, creating 200 job opportunities.
The retail giant unveiled a fresh market-style Foodhall on Southampton Street, Covent Garden, on October 15, and also relaunched two revamped Foodhalls in Temple Fortune and Wimbledon.
November saw the addition of two more Foodhalls in South London, situated at Clapham Common and Fulham Broadway.
Confirmed M&S closures in 2025
- Wolverhampton store on Dudley Street – closed on September 27
- 11 in-store cafes across the country – closing before the end of the year
Confirmed new or transformed M&S stores in 2025:
- Cheltenham Centrum foodhall – opened April 9
- Warrington Riverside Outlet – opened July 3
- Tewkesbury Outlet – opened July 16
- Leytonstone foodhall – opened July 18
- Covent Garden foodhall – opened October 15
- Bristol Cabot Circus – opened November 13
- Clapham Common foodhall – opened November
- Fulham Broadway foodhall – opened November
- Putney High Street foodhall – date TBC
- Bath Southgate full-line store opening – date TBC
- Pudsey foodhall (transformed) – reopened June 18
- Ripon foodhall (transformed) – reopened July 24
- Kingston Park foodhall (transformed) – reopened August 6
- Merry Hill foodhall (transformed) – reopened August 8
- Brent Cross foodhall (transformed) – reopened August 11
- Orpington (transformed) – reopened August 21
- Pantheon Oxford Street foodhall (transformed) – reopened August 22
- Brooklands (transformed) – reopened September 24
- Aberdeen Union Square (transformed) – reopened October 8
- Wimbledon foodhall (transformed) – reopened October 13
- Temple Fortune foodhall (transformed) – reopened October 15
- Wheatley Doncaster (transformed) – reopened October 22
- Douglas (transformed) – reopened November 26
- Craigavon Foodhall (transformed) – reopened November 28
- Merry Hill (transformed) – reopened November
- Chiswick (transformed) – reopening December 9
