// From December 21 to 23, 400 M&S stores across the UK will be open until midnight
// This is to allow customers more time to shop for Christmas
// This marks the longest ever store opening hours that the retailer has offered
Marks & Spencer has announced that it is extending its opening hours until midnight for the final shopping days before Christmas.
This marks the longest ever store opening hours that the retailer has offered in time for the festive period.
From December 21 to 23, 400 M&S stores across the UK – which is two thirds of its store estate – will be open until midnight to give customers extra time to shop.
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Last year, M&S had extended the opening hours to just 15 of its stores.
The two-third of shops to offer this includes nearly all food-only stores (excluding travel locations) and combined Clothing & Food stores on retail parks such as the new Nottingham Giltbrook store.
Shops on high streets and in major shopping centres will generally be open until 10pm.
“We want our customers to be able to shop with confidence this Christmas, which means supporting social distancing in our stores and minimal queueing outside as the weather gets colder,” M&S retail, operations and property director Sacha Berendji said.
” To help with this, our Sparks Book & Shop service is now live at every store and we’ll be operating our longest ever opening hours just before Christmas to help customers purchase everything they need to make the big day special – however they are celebrating – whether it’s picking up the turkey, or collecting a last minute present they’ve ordered online.
“Along with the wider industry, we continue to ask for Sunday trading hours to be extended to help us increase our capacity to serve everyone safely this festive season.”
Alongside social distancing measures, which includes counting customers in via a bespoke app, M&S said it continues to operate “robust hygiene measures” in its stores.
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