M&S opens revamped Lakeside flagship store

Marks & Spencer has opened a new 97,000-square-foot flagship store in Lakeside, relocating to a new unit to increase visibility in the shopping centre in Essex.

The new store offers a reconfigured layout with a new, enlarged portal entrance, as part of a 20-million-pound investment by the centre. It houses a market-style Foodhall, as well as spacious clothing, home and beauty departments, alongside a 140-seat M&S Café.

It is one of nine new M&S stores planned for November, the biggest ever month for M&S store openings, which represents an 80 million pound investment in bricks and mortar and the creation of more than 2,200 jobs across the UK.

The new Lakeside store features a “spacious” clothing department, offering collections across womenswear, kidswear and menswear, with neon-lit areas to spotlight customer favourites, including Per Una, Autograph, Goodmove and Jaegar.

There’s also a new transformed beauty department showcasing popular brands, including the Apothecary collection and the new M&S Fresh Elements skincare range, and a new Foodhall, accessible from the car park.

Dior Hudson, store manager at M&S, who has worked for the retailer for 10 years, said in a statement: “The store is an exciting investment in the future of M&S in Essex, and I can’t wait for our customers to explore all the new features that the store has to offer. Along with our existing Lakeside team of over 290 colleagues, we’re really pleased to introduce over 90 new recruits to M&S Lakeside.”