Retail giant M&S is planning to up its presence in Staffordshire with a new food store set to open in Cannock and two other areas earmarked as potential places for other shops.
M&S will open its new food store in Cannock on Wednesday, 3 December as part of a £500 million programme of store changes taking place across the country.
The store has relocated from elsewhere on Orbital Retail Park with the new, bigger store boasting the likes of a hot chicken counter, a brand-new coffee bakery and a sushi counter.
The site is one of 12 Homebase units acquired by M&S in the summer and identified as places to become some of the largest M&S standalone food stores in the UK. The Cannock store is the first to launch.
The retailer has also named Trentham and Rugeley on a list of 500 new potential locations as it aims to double the size of its food business and modernise its food estate.
M&S says it is looking for large sites that could stock the full range of M&S Food, growing the target size of its Food stores to an average of 18,000 sq ft.
Alex Freudmann, managing director of M&S Food, said: “The strong performance of our new M&S food stores gives us the confidence to explore even more locations across the UK, from Elgin to Exmouth.
“With more than 20 stores opening or modernised before the end of the financial year, we are moving faster.
“Our team want new sites where we could open a large M&S Food store as we deliver on our strategy to bring the right stores to the right places and offer the best shopping experience, range and availability for our customers.”
