'˜Death knell' for town centre? Readers react as Marks and Spencer branch is set to close

Marks and Spencer has announced it is going to close its store in Fareham - and readers have been left wondering what effect it will have on the town centre's future.
By The Newsroom
Published 31st Jan 2018, 13:25 BST
Updated 31st Jan 2018, 13:27 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

The closure will mean 58 jobs are set to be lost, but the company has said it will aim to give new roles to as many staff members as possible.

In a statement Marks and Spencer said the proposed closure was part of plans ‘to better meet the changing needs of customers.’

Readers on our Facebook page had their say on the closure.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

One called it a ‘death knell’ for the town, while another said it was ‘short-sighted’ with Welborne set to be built near the town.

Read More
Marks and Spencer announces that town centre store will close

___

Sarah Stotesbury: Fareham Shopping Centre is dead on its feet. A lot are closing down there. Soon there be no reason to go into Fareham at all.

Chelsea Leworthy: But yet they manage to open a new one in Ocean Retail Park this year.

Pippa Beale: I’m gutted. Death knell for Fareham. So so sad.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

John Smith: They cut the size of the shop in Fareham and stopped providing clothes for their core markets. They decided to become an expensive trendy young persons shop without having trendy clothes or a good marketing strategy and it failed. The management at the top should be sacked as these changes have alienated many and been welcomed by few. No wonder customers are deserting them.

Mark Chiverton: Very sad news for shopping in Fareham, having lost BHS, and soon to lose Argos. Maybe Primark could be tempted into the M&S shop.

Hilary Orchard: What a joke! There are NO clothes shops for older adults in Fareham other than perhaps Bon Marche which is really OAP styles. As a person who almost exclusively wears M&S items and does not drive, this will seriously affect me. I can see Tesco’s rubbing their hands with glee over all the people forced to food shop there in future.

Sarah Hathaway: So another big name shop to close in Fareham, first Argos now Marks and Spencer, Fareham will suffer.

Sue Stoneman: How short-sighted with a new town imminent!

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Travis Duck: I don’t shop in M&S but I’m feeling for the staff.

Paula Aitken: The quality has deteriorated yet the prices haven’t!

M&S used to be known for good quality classic trends that, whilst expensive, were value for money as they’d last. Not anymore. Somebody should be asking the buyers questions!

___

What do you think? Comment below or join the discussion on Facebook.

Related topics:FarehamFacebookArgos