Peterborough M&S looking to expand ‘unattractive’ Brotherhood store creating 50 new jobs
Plans have been revealed for a proposed extension to a Marks & Spencer store in Peterborough.
Applicant, Barclays (George Yard) Limited, hopes to construct a 1,676 sqm extension to the store at Brotherhood Shopping Park on vacant land next to Tapi Carpets, expanding the floor space by 20 per cent.
Planning documents submitted to Peterborough City Council confirmed that 50 new jobs would be created as part of the extension to the store, which opened in 2012, bringing the total number of employees to 160.
The proposed development comes just one year after M&S closed its Queensgate store in Peterborough after being a feature of the city centre since 1964.
In a statement explaining the need for the extension, an M&S spokesperson said: “The existing store no longer provides a high-quality shopping experience and has become dated and too small for the surrounding catchment.
“The store is considered to be potentially brand damaging compared to what M&S as a business is now able to offer its valued customers.
“It is clear that to obtain the customers hard earned spending, the customer experience is as important as the quality and price of the product being purchased.
“The current shopping environment is constrained, unattractive and uninviting.
“The overall experience must be attractive enough to drive footfall into the location and through the front door because the shopping mission can be easily fulfilled from the comfort of the shopper’s home or any location avoiding the need to travel by using their mobile phone or other mobile devices.”
The extension, on both ground and first floor level, would be used for the sale of clothing and homeware, including furniture and furnishings.
The M&S statement adds: “The proposed store extension is a well thought out future proofing strategy to provide fantastic M&S products within a well-designed site making it convenient for shoppers to access the store which is fit for the future in Peterborough.”
With regards to the appearance of the extension, it would maintain the fascia line and eaves of the existing building presenting a uniform height to the car park.
The development would not result in any changes to the 533 customer parking spaces for vehicles and cycles.