M&S closures

M&s lost the plot some time ago. I last bought from their holiday and 'cruise line' about 15 to 20 years ago. I find as I am older I do not want dresses with strappy tops but with a 3/4 sleeve and some tailored interest not a sack with straps.

For work I enjoyed per Una but that soon went down hill too.
and i now go to Matalan for my swim suits.

My husband no longer buys his trousers there because the pockets are not deep enough and everything falls out!!

They are in the process of building another store near us, it's supposed to open this summer. It's taken them months of work so must be costing a fortune

Hells Bells, grannybuy!

Those trews in the piccie look as if they've been designed by a Martian who's never seen an actually Human Being and is just guessing what the shape of our legs might be like......

Wash

I live within easy reach of an M/S Outlet store where they sell off end of lines. It's my favourite and it's going to close at the end of July. I am gutted. I will miss it very much.
I still like a lot of their stuff.

hm999, I think ? read somewhere that if you was clothes with items that have open zips they can cause holes in your clothes.

I think more people are shopping online for basic clothes.

We have had a large food hall open near us which is busy as is the m&s shop in the local BP garage. I think food and basic clothes are their way forward.

I visit the M&S in our local shopping park, which is easy to get to, has free parking and a variety of shops but I would not go into town for M&S with a more difficult drive, paid parking, a longer walk and closed or depressing shops.

M&S T shirts used to wash and wash, not now.
Daughter bought me nightdress and dressing gown a couple of years ago which get worn only on the odd occasion, they both went to holes. She bought herself the same nightdress a month later, it has washed and washed, still perfect.

Sainsburys TU range is good, but like most stores, buyers seem shy of buying clothes in sizes over a 16. Their sales feature racks and racks of clothes in sizes 8 and 10!

When will buyers notice that larger clothes fly off the racks and they should stock more?

janieuk I agree. They missed the point years ago and the quality dropped by miles.
Even underpants are better from Tesco/Sainsburies/Asda!

Having seen pictures of their latest "must have" summer dress I am not surprised. It looks like a badly made dressing gown and hangs like a sack on all the models, from size 10 to size 16. (sorry can't do links but if you can bring yourself to log onto the dreaded DM website it is on there!)

I imagine online buying is affecting M&S, like most shops in retail areas. It doesn't matter how upmarket the town, it seems shops are closing, to be replaced by charity shops or cheap fly-by-night sellers offering shoddy/tacky goods.

I liked M&S quality but as others have said, they've retained their more expensive prices but the quality of their clothes had deteriorated and doesn't seem to have a market. Slavishly following trends doesn't work if they are hoping slightly more affluent, slightly older people will buy their clothes. An M&S T shirt made with that awful elastane/lycra (so it's a tighter fit and clings to every lump, bump and any bit of body fat - a dreadful trend) isn't likely to appeal to an older woman (especially if it costs £6 more than the one in the shop next door) but a well cut cotton one will and can justify a higher price. Those days have gone. M&S needs to decide who it's catering for.

I love M&S Food Halls though.

They need to get back to the drawing board . Starting with the age range and what we like. We are working longer and have money to spend.so listen m&s stop trying to gain younger market.

Yes finding it difficult to find anything in Marks and Sparks.
Do like there long sleeved t shirts and short sleeved ones, underwear was ok, but not so much now.
Must admit I love the food always buying the meal for 2 got one the other week, £10. With a bottle of wine, which was nice. We have just had a new one open near the 02 in Greenwich plus Sainsbury’s next door, some nice clothes in there.

It is a shame - I hope they pull through. My main criticism was that all their most beautiful dresses were created for the tall ladies amongst us - I'm only 5ft 2" and so couldn't wear them. The petite range was dull and limited.

Totally agree Teetime they are not asking the right people. Being only 5 ft 2in their trousers have always fitted, now, its a definite no no, still looking to replace some. Has anyone any ideas where from.?

The problem is Primark, everyone goes there, I think it is the throwaway society. Wear a couple of times and dump and M&S are trying to compete with that.

I have been in Primark a few times and walked out it is like a jumble sale. Although everyone buys stuff there.

M&S no longer have cotton items, they used to have lovely cotton summer sweaters, then they stopped Merino winter jumpers. Also their skirts used to be lined they are no longer. As I say they are trying to match Primark instead of upgrading.

I haven't shopped in M&S for about two years, the clothes are poor quality and the sizes unreliable.

Clothes showing midriff, split sleeves , low neckline and trailing hems , look beautiful on teenagers but not so good with my crepey cleavage , thickening waistline and the trailing hemlines make me look like a bag lady .
M&S used to do fabulous British made clothes , smart and well finished . BHS gave them some competition in the past , so they had to be on their toes .
Nowadays they are very complacent and I'm rarely tempted to buy anything .
Yes I'll be losing my store ,and I
doubt I'll miss it

I know of at least one local council which is buying the premises of its local M&S so that, by keeping the rent low, it will be prevented from closing. This M&S is the "flagship" store of what used to be a busy town centre shopping area but lost Woolworths, BHS and about half of the small shops so the loss of M&S would virtually kill it off.

I have just taken a picture of my lower half wearing new M & S trousers (size 10) which are bulging at the thighs - the jodhpur look! I'm going to send it to them, bemoaning the fact that this has been the case with dozens of pairs I've tried in their stores. They just don't get it right. I'm obviously not the only one!

I'm quite lucky with M&S usually. However, I only like natural fabrics and so many of their 'fashion' items are pretty nasty material.
I've been very happy with their online ordering recently. There seems to be much more variety and they can whiz things to my local shop very quickly. I think they'll do fine in the long run once they've repositioned. They still made eye-watering profits don't forget!

Is there a list anywhere of stores that are closing? Actually, in their defence, I'm pleasantly surprised by some of their summer clothes this year.

I just wish they could get the basics right. But they never do. As a result I buy practically everything from Land's End.

I think they're trying too hard to appeal to young people and that's just not going to work. They can't please everyone and the result is, they don't please anyone.

They should have stuck to pleasing us!