Middlesbrough Marks & Spencer closure 'a devastating blow'

The M&S store in Middlesbrough town centre will close in April

Middlesbrough's Marks and Spencer town centre store is to close, with the decision described by the local MP as a "devastating blow".

Staff have been told the shop in Linthorpe Road will shut in April.

The firm said the "tough decision" was the result of changing shopping habits and staff would be offered other roles.

Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald said he would write to the company - which also has a store at Teesside Retail Park - urging it to reconsider its decision.

'Shopping habits changing'

Craig Baldock, M&S regional manager, said: "Shopping habits are changing and this means we need to focus our investment on the right stores in the right places so we can provide the very best shopping experience for our customers.

"This has been a tough decision but means we can invest in many of our 21 other stores in the North East.

"Our priority now is to talk to our colleagues about what this announcement means for them and to support them through these changes."

Labour's Mr McDonald said: "The announcement that Marks and Spencer is to close its Middlesbrough store is a devastating blow.

"The flagship store has been part of Middlesbrough for more than 100 years and is a vital and much-loved part of our retail offer.

"To lose jobs is truly awful for all the employees affected and to hear this news after Marks and Spencer recorded a successful Christmas trading period is particularly hard to understand."

'Not busy enough'

Middlesbrough's elected mayor, independent Andy Preston, told BBC Tees it was "a terrible shame" but not a surprise with the firm having another large store at the Teesside Retail Park.

"It's the only place in the country with two large flagship stores within 3.5 miles of each other. It's just not busy enough [to sustain that].

"We have to accept the nature of the high street is changing. Town centres need to reinvent themselves."

He added the next few months would see the area offer more entertainment attractions with the launch of an eSports arena and the Stack shipping container complex, while an as-yet-unnamed education establishment had agreed a move to the town centre.