M&S closures

Yes but 100 stores are to be opened. All of them simply food. Marks also are looking to start online food deliveries which they have lagged behind in catching on to.
Clothes shopping in the high street has dwindled in the wake of online shops. It's not necessarily the styles.
Their Marble Arch flagship closed a few weeks ago. The rent was to be raised by an exorbitant amount. M and S had recently replaced the inner lift at a cost to themselves of 2 million. Still they left rather than pay so much rent. This store was opposite a main tube station. Busy as anything.

Does anyone remember the days when department stores (inc M&S) had departments?

If you wanted to buy a green jumper you went to the jumper department, looked for a green one you liked and picked out your size.

Now if you want a green jumper you have to go through unumerable different ranges in different parts of the store.

Perhaps it has to be like this in dept stores which house lots of different brands - each a shop within a shop, but why do it in M&S? Are they deliberately trying to make shopping so difficult that we just give up?

One thing M &S could do is employ better window dressers. Nothing in the windows tempts you into the shop.

What are Landsend like for quality & fit? Lots have mentioned them.

I never understand their pricing. I was looking at cream tops, more than a t-shirt but nothing fancy. I saw two that I liked. One was £17.50, the other was £39.50. Apart from minor details such as different sleeves and fabric, (both man-made) there was little to tell them apart. Guess which I bought!

They do have a nice range of summery cotton jumpers. Again, though, the price seems to vary, from £19.50 to £35, when there's little to distinguish them apart.

I buy jeans from Landsend now, when they're on sale or special offer as M&S jeans no longer cut the mustard.

As they no longer sell the knickers I like I'm afraid it's the end of the line for me. The food section in our local M&S is fairly small and an effort to get to so I give that a miss as well. Sorry M&S but that's the way the cookie crumbles

Did any one watch the programme about them last night. They went into great detail about business plans and so on, but nobody addressed the fact that the clothes are horrible! There are also far too many ranges. In a big store you can wander through tops, skirts, dresses and trousers in one range and then find yourself starting all over again in another range. If I want a cream top I don't want to go to six different departments to find them all! Keep the M&S Collection for basic stuff, perhaps limited for smart and special occasion stuff, and Per Una for of the wall weirdos like me. This would require replacing the current numptys working on Per Una and finding some actual designers - it was never the same after George Davis left. The only person speaking any sense last night was Stuart Rose - shame he moved on too. He was someone who actually listened - he might not agree with you but he would listen

Me too. I shall have to stock up on bras if my local store closes. I've never found that anyone else's are as good.
They've forgotten the basics and I suspect that we Gransnetters could sort them out.

Some time ago I bought some black trousers which were not very special but comfortable for everyday wear so I sent off for two more pairs - same style, colour, size and medium length. The ones I got were a good two inches longer although still labelled medium length.

I've experienced the exact same garment in a different colour not being the same fit. Apparently it's because different colours are made on different sites.

M&S have lost the plot. I do like their knickers and their boots and sandals ( not usually their shoes funny enough fit is not as good) However their clothes leave a lot to be desired. I used to like their T shirts but hate these sleeves that go to the elbow who wants that in the summer. They did three quarter sleeve tops in nice colours for the Autumn , not any more! Trousers were just right now they've changed the lengths and one is too short the other too long so don't buy any more. Someone else said the same about trousers try Cotton Traders their trousers/jeans have multiple lengths to choose from. If Marks listened to our age group they'd still be in profit, and don't get me started on the website which is just awful

Returned a pair of crop jeans yesterday as legs were of different lengths. Picked up a pair of peg trousers (linen rich). I have a pair that I have almost worn out but have had probs replacing them. Same size and length were too small. Went up a size and they were too short. Have tried a different length but now too long. Our local M&S closed recently and initially I was really disappointed but after a visit to a large out of town store, with vouchers burning a hole in my pocket, I came away with nothing and started to understand why.

Ah that explains why the East store near us has closed Monica.

East used to - but they have gone bust. Shoppers prefer to pay lower prices and hang the quality . However M&Co clothes are usually good quality and also Sainsbury's, although DD says quality and style has dropped this summer. I haven't checked as I have to make a special journey to visit a Sainsbury's with a good clothes section and didn't need any new clothes this summer so didn't make the journey

I agree that M&S is much poorer quality than they used to be but surely this is the trend for most high street shops. They are all competing on price and I wonder how many garments end up in landfill after very little wear. Clothing would not be as cheap either if workers in places like Bangladesh had decent conditions with a living wage. I have resolved to buy less and spend more on quality, but has anyone any tips on which clothing retailers they consider sell genuinely quality clothing?

I am sorry my local Outlet Store is closing as I've had many good bargains in there & it's always busy. I am fortunate that I have 2 large M & S Stores about equidistance from my home. One of the Stores is handy for collecting on-line orders as my DD lives very close.

I love M & S clothes & still find their jeans to be a great fit & good quality. I buy t-shirts, underwear & nightwear along with shirts/blouses, my biggest complaint is that I find what I like but not in my size (I'm a plus size) so I end up ordering on-line.

I would not shop in Primark but have bought from ASDA, Tesco (occasionally), must go back to Matalan for a look. Next is hopeless, last time I looked there was nothing I would wear. I also have M & S Food in my local BP Garage but I prefer the larger Stores with a bigger range.

Hmmmmm. I'm sitting here dressed literally from head to foot including underwear and slippers in M&S clothes!! It's all cotton, good quality and fits well. I've got 3 tops on order via their website and will collect them next time I'm in!
PS I just finished my M&S supper - was yummy.
I'd buy shares but they've gone up since their results were published yesterday. Interesting...

Another one here very disappointed with M&S. In trying to attract a younger market, who wouldn't be seen dead in there, they've alienated their core customer. A few years ago they were criticised for not having dresses with sleeves for us older customers. They didn't listen and continued to try to cater for teens and young adults. I very rarely find anything suitable there for work or functions. And their website is a mess and the models look uninterested and uninspired. Wake up M&S and sort it out.

A lot of their clothes have the same countries of manufacture as Primark etc who sell them at a reasonable price. Per Una jeans were fantastic, now they stop looking good within 6 months. Am going to try TU next time.

Years ago they were top quality and clothes and bedding would last for years. Now their items are much the same as any chain store and quite often inferior to supermarket. But they still charge top prices so this is bound to happen.

Madam, we try to cater for everyone’.

Thereby lies the problem! Or at least one of them!

I emailed the Big Boss a couple of times a few months ago and provided him with links to the M & S threads on GN. Received very nice replies, but doubt whether things will change

Like many of you I have often tackled departmental managers about their fashions, but it all fell on stony ground! ‘Madam, we try to cater for everyone’.
They have spent too long trying to attract a younger market , but they just don’t seem to ‘get ‘ that young people don’t want M&S versions of fashion.
Sad, but they should have listened to their customers!

I agree with lots of the responses on here. The clothes are now cheaply made in cheap, synthetic fabrics. The cut is poor, so they rarely hang right, and if you do find something that fits, it will look tatty after a couple of washes. The sizing is all over the place. The shops are a jumble sale with random racks of stuff all over the place. I know they are in “collections” but it doesn’t make it easy (as a shopper) when you only want a blouse. I don’t want skinny cut trousers, cropped tops and masses of tacky glittery embellishment, and judging by the stuff on the sale racks, I’m not alone.

In the past, when I went into Per Una there were so many items that I adored. Nowadays I walk through wondering what happened to the brand.
Haven't bought at M&S for a very long time.

I took part in the McCarthy Stone overnight stay and was given £50 of M&S vouchers for this. I just haven't seen anything that I want to buy with these vouchers. The fit, the quality and 'style' is just appalling. Even their undies aren't good any more.