City centre M&S store will close in late September

M&S said it had "a proud history in Wolverhampton"

Marks & Spencer has announced its Wolverhampton city centre store will close next month.

The date of 27 September was confirmed following consultation with colleagues at the Dudley Street site, the company said, adding staff would be offered alternative roles within the business where possible.

The firm stated it was working with the city council to find a suitable alternative location for a food-only venture.

The authority said it was looking to identify sites that were in keeping with the brand's "new business model".

In 2022, M&S said it aimed within six years to cut the number of "full-line" shops selling food, clothing and homeware from 247 to 180, but open 104 new food stores.

After announcing on Monday the closure date of the "full-line" Dudley Street store, regional manager Calum Telford said conversations were continuing with store colleagues.

The company had a "proud history in Wolverhampton" and was working to find a suitable alternative food location, which was part of its wider investment in the Black Country including modernising the Merry Hill store, he said.

Mr Telford stated M&S would keep the local community updated.

"I would like to say a massive thanks to all our customers who have shopped with us over the years and our colleagues, past and present, who have contributed to the store."

A council spokesperson said it would be "sad" to see M&S leave the Dudley Street site, but that the company remained committed to Wolverhampton.

They added the authority's Wolves at Work employment support team was connected with the firm to support workers and their families.

The council also said it was "keen to see the privately-owned Dudley Street site brought back into use quickly".

"As everyone knows, town and city centres across the country are changing and we fully understand M&S's difficult decision was driven by wider, changing market conditions and customer behaviour," the authority said.