// Marks and Spencer is shutting its store in Broadmead for good after nearly 70 years,
// The high street retailer is currently consulting with 89 staff who work at the branch
After almost 70 years of trading, Marks and Spencer has confirmed it will be closing down its store in Broadmead for good.
The high street chain has been part of Bristol’s shopping quarter since 1952 and while there is no exact date for when the store will shut its doors, the store is set to close in January.
M&S is currently consulting with 89 staff, although it is understood this figure does not equate to redundancies.
According to Business Live, M&S will be working with Broadmead employees to try to redeploy them to other stores across the region.
It is understood the closure is part of a wider UK property reshape by M&S, which has 17 other shops across the South West, including at Cribbs Causeway and in Longwell Green.
The decision to shut the Broadmead store is, in part, being driven by changing consumer habits in the retail industry, which has seen a major shift towards online shopping in recent years.
“Shopping habits are changing, so we’re rotating our store estate to make sure we have the right stores to offer our customers a brilliant shopping experience,” said M&S regional manager John Dorrington.
“As part of this transformation, we have today announced to colleagues our proposal to close our M&S Bristol store at 78 Broadmead in January 2022.
“Our priority now is to talk to our colleagues about what this announcement means for them and wherever possible, offer them alternative roles with M&S.
“We appreciate that this will be disappointing news for some, and we would like to thank all our customers who have shopped with us in the store. We will be working hard to keep serving them in our 17 stores across the southwest including Cribbs Causeway and Longwell Green.”
M&S is expected to continue to invest in its Cribbs Causeway store, which is regularly used as a test site to trial new digital services, such as contactless, click and collect, and returns, before rolling them out across the UK.
It is also understood M&S has a financial interest in the Broadmead building – although it does not own the property outright – and will be working with Bristol City Council on plans for its future redevelopment.
West of England metro mayor Dan Norris said: “For most of us, Marks and Spencer in Broadmead has been a Bristol fixture all of our lives.
“This is a real blow to a shopping centre that is at the heart of the community, and many people across the city and beyond will feel a sense of loss at this genuinely sad news.
“Importantly, I hope and expect Marks and Spencer will be working with their staff and their trade unions to support all workers who are affected.”
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