Retailer Marks & Spencer is leaving its home in Church Street in Liverpool and is to move into space in the former Debenhams store in Liverpool ONE. Tony McDonough reports
Retail giant Marks & Spencer is to relocate its Liverpool city centre store from Compton House in Church Street to the former Debenhams store in Liverpool ONE.
M&S has been in its current home for almost 100 years. It is expected to be in its new home on the corner of Lord Street by the middle of 2023. M&S first moved into Grade II listed Compton House in 1930.
In April it was confirmed a new £10m leisure venue would open in the former Debenhams store later this year. Gravity Active Entertainment is creating the 100,000 sq ft venue across two floors of the former department store that closed for the final time in May 2021.
Now also securing M&S for the 180,000 sq ft building represents a significant double coup for Liverpool ONE owner Grosvenor. When the £1bn Liverpool ONE complex opened in 2008, the 180,000 sq ft Debenhams store was joint flagship tenant, along with John Lewis.
Despite the tough retail environment, and the pandemic, Liverpool ONE has seen almost 40 brands either sign for new space, or renew existing deals, in the past 12 months. Sales at the destination in 2021 were 11.5% up compared to 2019.
Pete Dobson, regional manager for M&S, said: “We’re really excited to announce our plans to open a brand new M&S store in the Liverpool ONE shopping centre. The new store, which we expect to open in mid-2023, will offer the very best of M&S in a prime location in Liverpool city centre.
“Local residents and visitors to the city will be able to shop across a wide range of M&S products in our new foodhall and clothing and home departments, in a fresh, modern store with fully integrated digital technology to support customers however they want to shop.
“In line with this investment in a new M&S store for Liverpool city centre, our existing store at 35 Church Street will close once the new store is ready to open with all colleagues having the opportunity to transfer to work in the new store.”
M&S’s current home in Church Street was one of the first purpose-built department stores in Europe. For a short period the building was also used as a hotel that catered mainly for American guests.