By Greg Wright

Published 16th Jan 2023, 08:29 BST

Updated 16th Jan 2023, 09:05 BST

The group said that over the next financial year, it will open eight full-line stores in shopping centres such as the Bullring in Birmingham and the Trafford Centre in Manchester, as well in as retail parks and high streets across key cities.

It also will open 12 new food halls, at locations including Stockport, Barnsley and the seaside town of Largs in North Ayrshire, Scotland.

The new openings will bring investment in new stores to £480m, M&S said.

Library image of Marks & Spencers' logo, as the retailer has announced plans to ramp up its store overhaul with plans to open 20 new shops across the UK in a move that will create 3,400 jobs.

The new Marks & Spencer store plans come under a wider restructuring of its retail footprint, with the group last year revealing it would reduce the number of its full-line stores by 67 to 180 by early 2026.

Chief executive Stuart Machin said stores were a “key part” of the group’s future, alongside online trading.

He said: “Our store rotation programme is about making sure we have the right stores, in the right place, with the right space and we’re aiming to rotate from the 247 stores we have today to 180 higher-quality, higher-productivity full-line stores that sell our full clothing, home and food offer whilst also opening over 100 bigger, better food sites.

“The out-performance of our recently relocated and renewed stores give us the confidence to go faster in our plan.”

Details of the accelerated store openings show that five of the group’s new full-line stores will be based in former Debenhams sites as part of its pledge to regenerate vacant store outlets.

Marks & Spencer to open new food hall in Barnsley as part of plans to create 3,400 jobs