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UK retailer M&S has announced a £50 million investment into stores across the Northwest of England, creating 300 new jobs in the region.

The investment is part of the retail chain’s store renewal and rotation programme, which focuses on having the ‘right stores in the right places’ to support the business’ growth. It will be spread across the next three financial years, seeing the development of five brand-new stores in new locations.

Its Gemini Retail Park store in Warrington, Cheshire, has already been renewed, including a larger food hall and a fresh produce section that has doubled in size, as well as a larger in-store bakery. A brand-new outlet store will also be developed just a few miles down the road, expected to open toward the end of summer this year.

As part of the investment, M&S will also open a new food hall in Thortnton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, pending planning permission. It will triple the size of the existing store, with a 16,000-square-foot food hall offering a wider range of fresh market-style M&S food.

Also included are a major extension of the full-line store in Middlebrook Retail Park in Bolton, Greater Manchester, and a fresh redesign for the new food hall in Sale, Manchester, which was recently completed. The Sale store has benefitted from a £2.1 million investment to enhance its food offerings.

In Merseyside, a new full line store in Speke, south Liverpool, is expected to create over 100 new local jobs, building on the success of M&S’ Liverpool One store, which has seen a 25% increase in food sales since opening in 2023. Additionally, a new food hall at The Point development in Formby will support 60 local jobs, replacing the existing smaller food hall and offering a wider range of products.

The renewed stores feature new innovations that are supporting the retailer in delivering on its sustainability goals, utilising LED lighting and energy-efficient fridges.

Will Smith, property director at M&S, said: “Our pipeline of stores for 2025 demonstrates our continued investment in market-leading stores as we deliver our transformation priorities”.

He added: “M&S already has many local supplier partnerships such as Park Cakes in Oldham who make the customer-favourite Colin the Caterpillar cakes, and these new stores will help showcase their products and support jobs throughout the supply chain”.