Marks and Sparks

I think M&S lost the plot some years ago when they decided to ignore their core group of customers and appeal to the trendy market. They ended up doing nothing well. I can't comment on the food as I no longer live in the UK.
I use the online French site and it has gone downhill noticeably in the last couple of years with a much more limited availability. Such a shame, I remember buying lovely clothes for my grandchildren when they were young and sending them to my daughter in America. They were always much admired.

I agree with you Hildagard, I was in M&S this week and felt very sad, the latest stock was dreadful and I too used to buy my trousers from there, not any more as they are awful.

When an identical thread to this appeared around a year ago I emailed the CEO with a summary of the points made here. I received a reply from his office regretting our disappointment with M and S and saying that the concerns would be passed on to the relevant staff for action. Well, nothing has changed! I walked through my local M and D yesterday and saw rails and rails of sale clothes and the new season's women's clothing seemed to be dull or in garish colours. Such a missed opportunity on their part.

Miepl.....I'm not far from Newton Abbot, towards the moors.

Suki70 I did exactly the same as you! I received very nice replies to my emails, but deep down, I never expected anything to change! I even sent links to the thread, from time to time, when it was updated.

Wonder whether it's worth doing it again just to see if anyone's paying attention? . . . . .

I thought it was just me! I wanted a simple pair of black trousers size 10 tried on 7 pairs in M&S all were badly fitting and horrid material. Went into Debs selected 2 pairs tried them on and bought them both. It's time M&S started listening.

Wonder whether it's worth doing it again just to see if anyone's paying attention? . . . . .

Well, I decided it might be worth it, so another email has just been sent to the CEO! . . . . .

The worst thing is the way they display things within their own internal brands so if you want a pair of black trousers you have to look at their general trousers, Autograph, Per Una and whatever other group they have come up with. Makes shopping very difficult

<waves>
Hello Hildegard !

I haven't bought a thing in M&S for years as I can't bear the depressing racks of synthetic fabrics and their never having my size. I ordered a coat and had to take it back because it felt so horrid. It was over £100 but wasn't even half wool.

The food, though, is luvverley....

My husband, who generally chooses dreadful clothes, got me the pale grey long jumper for Christmas and I really like it. I think M&S is like any large shop - you have to search for the clothes that you like and suit you. I still like M&S for a bra design (good price & fit) I've been buying for years.

We had a local M & S shop when my children were small, this was thirty years ago! Beautiful top quality clothing and underwear at knock down prices.In those days everything was made in England.

Yes, they think if we are a larger size we must have enormous thighs.

Also I notice that their pants wear out in a matter of weeks. I still have some old pairs that are perfectly wearable.

I use M & S for food that I cannot get from Aldi. I have noticed that the "use by dates" are getting shorter and shorter. Fortunately I tend to ignore these dates.

I have on occasion tried to buy a bra in M & S but appreciate I am a very "odd" size (32 H), whilst I know that I am getting on in years I have always worn nice matching underwear, and do not see why I should compromise and wear M & S boring and ill fitting ones. My Grannies always said "make sure you have nice clean underwear in case you have an accident"

They do normally come up trumps in their footwear, I have small feet and managed to get two pairs of flat leather boots, both pairs under £30 in October and they are so comfortable and "on-trend".

Well I must be in the minority then. I buy the majority of my underwear in M&S, plus I got a lovely pair of casual trousers and a jumper before Christmas and a pair of jeans plus a down & feather jacket, very light but warm, in the sales. The jacket is short but that is fine as I wanted it for riding. I don’t buy their food, as I feel it is overpriced.

I have always bought trousers from M&S but bought some last week and had to return them i need short, and this time short was about 3 inches too long, the explantion was they are made longer to cover boots[they were bootlegs] but short on me will still cover boots,
Alo the last ones before these shrank a lot
They are mostly made in Bangladesh now, so there is probably the answer,and think how much M&S pay, and what we have to pay,their profit must be enormous

Squiffy thanks for sending email please keep me updated ! Forgot to say previously I still buy and wear their bras, good fit. Apart from one bra, cups were two different sizes, no quality control!

Yes they have list the plot where clothing is concerned! Having trouble spending my vouchers too!

Isn’t this sad though! I feel very proprietorial towards good old Marks as my mum always shopped there and I have too. I worked there for a while and loved the quality of goods. I’ve got to agree though that something needs to be done about the choosing of clothes by the buyers. Who wants all those acres of chunky jumpers in broad stripes or with a different colour on the bottom? They wouldn’t appeal to young or old. Every time the sale is in, there are rails and rails of trousers which I can’t even be bothered to look through. I bought two things the other day which happened to be on the end and in my size and length so I grabbed them. BUT wouldn’t it be sad to lose this iconic store? I can’t bare to think about the hole in our nearest High Street if it closed and it’s on the cards I think. I wish we could big them up and encourage others to go back instead of criticising them. Having said that, I don’t go in half as much as I used to. Sorry for such a conflicting post.

Tut tut! Bear not bare!

I too received vouchers that I am struggling to spend. I need winter trousers in a plain, dark colour, but this appears to be unobtainable. The short length are too long (not everyone who is short wears huge heels). I don’t want jeans, leggings or something with cheap tacky embellishment (or their jodhpur style cut) either. I would like classic, straight trousers in a decent winter material, that will last me a couple of seasons. I don’t expect them for £15, I’m quite happy to pay more for quality, and it would be nice if a size 12 wasn’t a rare event...

However, as a lot of gransnetters have been asking for similar things for a while, I’m not holding my breath. They aren’t listening- or not to us, anyway.

I've stopped even looking for clothes in M and S since I asked if they had any long navy cardigans, only to be told 'no we haven't because no-one wants those anymore'!
Surely that's a must in everyone's wardrobe.

I must be lucky with our local M&S I bought two lovely cardigans in November one in a soft dove grey with a fake fur trim and the other a floor length black tweed effect one both elegant and a great fit! I admit I don’t buy trousers as I live in dresses or leggings and tunic tops so maybe the trousers aren’t so good.
I am very impressed by their new plant life food range! as a vegetarian of 30 odd years I have always previously found M&S to be disappointing for my needs but now they seem to have stepped up and produced a really good range.

I love a navy cardi! I was desperate for a new one a couple of years ago and couldn’t find one anywhere! I miss BHS I always liked their clothes more than M&S.