Marks & Spencer is a well-known and respected retailer on the high street. It was founded in 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer and has since grown to become one of the largest retailers in the UK. M&S has a long-standing reputation for quality and reliability, which helps to attract customers and retain their loyalty.
As a child, every August we went on a 150-mile round trip to the big city of Aberdeen for school clothes, because my parents were conscious of the quality and durability of St Michael clothing.
There is still a bit of money in the oil capital of Europe but that will not stop M&S closing their big store in the city centre in 2025. They are moving to a shopping mall, not quite out of town, but out of the city centre.
M&S has now unveiled plans to create an 80,000 sq ft regional flagship store at the Ipswich Copdock Mill Interchange, subject to planning permission.
If permission is granted, the new store opening is estimated to create nearly 100 new jobs for the local community, with M&S targeting an opening date of Spring 2027.
The proposed store, backed by a £35million investment, would offer the best of M&S food, clothing, footwear and home ranges, complemented with a café and click and collect. The Foodhall will be about 15,000 sq ft. By comparison the M&S store at Martlesham Heath is about 12,500 sq ft and the new Lidl at Anglia Retail Park is 24,000 sq ft.
A store in Ipswich town centre will be retained and £5million will be invested in it. This store will provide food and click and collect. Many people use these services at the existing shop at them moment and will welcome a bright refurbished store in the town centre.
For some years, it has been M&S policy to move to out of the High Street. M&S launched a string of closures in 2021, resulting in 68 store closures across the country.
Bolton, Swindon, Doncaster, Sunderland and Peterborough have closed, as well as Aberdeen. All similar to Ipswich. Nearer to home, Colchester has lost its city centre store, replaced by a new-build store at the Stane Retail Park.
The former Toys R Us store was bought in 2020 by Ipswich Borough Assets (IBA) an arms-length company of Ipswich Borough Council. IBA acquired this site to protect Ipswich town centre and have been successful in doing just that for several years. However, M&S are now insistent on moving their main store.
The sale to M&S is coupled with the retailer retaining its Ipswich town centre presence, unlike Colchester, giving residents the choice of town centre or out of town experience.
The current deal involves IBA selling the leasehold of the site to M&S and Suffolk County Council selling the freehold.
The Copdock location is perfect for attracting Ipswich shoppers, as well as people driving up the A12 and A14.
Copdock does have a bus service. Ipswich buses run service 13 through Chantry to Copdock and have recently started service 20, which runs up Hadleigh Road and through the new housing south of the town to Copdock. There is also the Park and Ride service 800, which goes up London Road up to three times an hour.
M&S are investing £40m in Ipswich - one of the biggest investments into Ipswich in recent years. In comparison, the Town Deal is £25million. M&S will create a fantastic shopping experience, both in the town centre and at Copdock. I’m sure it will be warmly welcomed across the town.
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