Marks and Spencer has announced plans to close its store in Hexham, Northumberland.
M&S said the closure was part of its “store rotation programme”.
Staff are understood to have been informed of the plans this week.
Regional manager Philip Barker-Thomson reportedly said employees would be offered alternative roles where possible if the proposals went ahead.
M&S said the closure was part of its “store rotation programme”
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M&S has not announced when the Maidens Walk site is set to shut for the final time.
A spokesperson for M&S told The Sun: “We have announced that we are investing £480million in bigger, better stores across the UK.
“Our store rotation and investment programme is about making sure we have the right stores, in the right place, with the right space.”
However, the decision has come as a blow for Hexham residents, with one person telling the BBC: “It’s just another nail in the coffin.
“Hopefully big independent stores will be able to keep Hexham going.”
Another said: “I’m devastated, it’s my favourite shop. And Hexham’s just dying.”
Marks and Spencer is set to shut its High Street West store in Sunderland, but a new site in the area is in the pipeline, according to reports.
In 2019, M&S announced plans to cut 110 main stores as part of an overhaul.
M&S opened nine stores in November last year, the biggest number of sites opened by the retailer in a single month.
The company said its store rotation programme ensures M&S has “the right stores, in the right place, with the right space”.
Last year, they said they were aiming to rotate from a base of 247 stores to 180 higher quality, higher productivity full line stores, selling its Clothing, Home and Food ranges.
They also plan to open more than 100 “bigger, better” food sites by the financial year 2027/28.
GB News has contacted M&S asking for comment.
