M&S to move into Witney (From Witney Gazette)

M&S to move into Witney

5:20pm Tuesday 4th September 2007

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ONE of the high street's most cherished stores, Marks & Spencer, is now on board the new Marriotts Close development at Witney.

A deal has been signed this week for them to become one of the big anchor stores, along with Debenhams who signed up earlier this year.

And it will be a major outlet, stocking both food and clothing, split over two floors.

The company's decision to come to Witney significantly increases the M&S profile in Oxfordshire, where it already has two main stores in Oxford city centre and Banbury. Last year the chain increased its presence in the region with smaller outlets, a Simply Food in Summertown and Bicester, and an out-of-town store at Oxford Retail Park which, although selling clothing as well as food, is fairly small.

Nationwide, the company has plans to open more than 20 new stores, creating 10,000 new jobs.

In public consultation surveys for the Marriotts Close redevelopment, M&S figured highly in what local people wanted to see in the new retail centre.

And the deal puts another significant piece into the retail jigsaw for Simons Developments, who are putting together the £50m redevelopment on the former football ground.

Luke Pickering, director at Simons, said: "We are delighted to have agreed the deal with M&S as a major shop in the scheme. It is great to see our plans developing.

"We expect that now M&S has joined Debenhams, there will be an even greater demand for the few remaining units."

The M&S store will be even larger than Debenhams. Other chains also coming to Witney are Cineworld, one of the country's foremost cinema operators, Frankie & Bennys Italian restaurant, Cafe Rouge and Starbucks coffee shop.

The blueprint for the new complex is: 14 retail units, five-screen cinema, three restaurants and cafes, public open spaces and children's play area, 190 new homes and a multi-storey car park.

Work was originally scheduled to begin this October but has been put back to January to give shops and businesses a clear run without any town centre disruption over the peak sales period at Christmas.

Contractors will, however, be starting work on a temporary car park at Woodford Way this autumn, making up for the majority of spaces lost when the Welch Way car park is closed during the redevelopment.

West Oxfordshire District Council leader Barry Norton said: "Confirmation that M&S are coming to Witney is great news for the town and residents of the district.

"Together with the cinema, restaurants and other retailers already announced, this should help ensure the success of the scheme and bring more shoppers into Witney, saving them travelling further afield.

"A key objective of the council in promoting the development of Marriotts Close was to strengthen and broaden the appeal of Witney as a shopping and visitor destination."

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