M&S Foodhall, Barnsley: Hundreds queue for opening of Yorkshire's newest Marks & Spencer store - and to meet Percy Pig

Hundreds of shoppers queued through Peel Retail Park in Barnsley for the opening of a new M&S Foodhall today.
By Danielle Andrews
Published 28th Nov 2023, 15:18 GMT

The new 12,000 sq ft store was officially opened by Percy Pig at 9am this morning (November 28), and shoppers queued from 7.30am to be the first inside.

It boasts a wine shop, expanded frozen section, bakery and digital click-and-collect points.

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The first 200 customers were given a golden ticket containing a “guaranteed win”, from a free bag of Percy Pigs to a £200 voucher.

The first 200 customers were entered into a 'guaranteed win' prize drawThe first 200 customers were entered into a 'guaranteed win' prize draw
The first 200 customers were entered into a 'guaranteed win' prize draw

The old M&S on Queen Street in Barnsley town centre has now closed, and the new food store – which has 60 per cent more space – has opened in the former Maplin and Poundworld units.

Graham Whitfield, store manager said: “We are thrilled to officially open our brand-new store in Barnsley today. The last few weeks have been so exciting for us all as we’ve seen the store take shape, and I’d like to thank everyone in our team of 65 colleagues for all their hard work to make sure everything is ready for our customers today.

“The store is an exciting investment in the future of M&S in Barnsley, and I can’t wait for our customers to explore all the new features that the store has to offer.”

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Mark Whittaker, executive director of Peel Retail and Leisure said: “We are very proud to be working in partnership with M&S to bring their exceptional new Foodhall to our Barnsley Retail Park.

Marks & Spencer's decision to leave Barnsley town centre led to disappointment - it has replaced the store with an out-of-town food hall insteadMarks & Spencer's decision to leave Barnsley town centre led to disappointment - it has replaced the store with an out-of-town food hall instead
Marks & Spencer's decision to leave Barnsley town centre led to disappointment - it has replaced the store with an out-of-town food hall instead

“Barnsley Retail Park is a hub for our local community offering a great selection of the best brands in one convenient location whilst supporting local job creation and opportunities for the area.

“With their exciting in-store fresh-market design, onsite dedicated M&S wineshop, M&S bakery and new expanded offerings, the new M&S Food Hall will be a must-visit store and we are pleased to be bringing such a well-loved, quality brand to our Barnsley Retail Park, we wish them every success.”

The new store follows the retailer’s announcement that it plans to invest £500 million in its store rotation programme, creating more than 3,400 new jobs nationwide.

The store is located at Peel’s Barnsley Retail Park on Harborough Hill Road, Barnsley S71 1JE and will open between 8am and 8pm Monday to Saturday and 10am and 4pm on Sunday.

Related topics:BarnsleyMarks & SpencerYorkshire