Marks and Spencer confirms 78 jobs to go as it permanently closes Peterborough Queensgate store

Seventy eight jobs will be axed when retailer Marks and Spencer permanently closes its Peterborough Queensgate store on Saturday (April 20), it has been revealed.

The number of staff working at M&S in the Queensgate Shopping Centre has now been confirmed by the retailer.

But it has not said how many staff have been found jobs within the business.

An M&S spokesperson said: “There are 78 colleagues at the store.

"We always try to offer redeployment opportunities wherever possible and minimise redundancies.

"Where we’re unable to offer a different role at M&S, we provide support to affected colleagues to help them find alternative employment.”

A Peterborough City Council spokesman said: “We remain committed to assisting M&S staff affected by the Queensgate closure to help find new employment.

“Any affected M&S employee can book an advice and guidance session with a specialist at City College Peterborough by calling 01733 761361.

"The college can offer support with interviewing skills, CV writing, skills health checks, individual careers appointments and careers/skills mapping and assistance with applying for jobs.

“We also continue to advertise new jobs at the council via our social media accounts. Some of these roles are customer service centred and we would encourage affected staff to look at our jobs page.”

M&S announced in January that its Queensgate store was expected to shut permanently following a consultation with staff.

The move is part of the retailer’s national move to focus more on food-only stores with easily accessible parking for customers being a key feature. It expects to cut the number of stores food and clothing from 247 to 180 over the next four years. At the same time, it hopes to open another 104 Simply Food outlets.

M&S also has stores in the Serpentine Green Shopping Centre, Hampton, and at Brotherhood Retail Park.

Dr Cheryl Greyson, senior lecturer in business and entrepreneurship at ARU Peterborough, said: “It’s going to be a sad day to see M&S close its doors in Queensgate this weekend and it’s a big loss to the city centre, particularly as we wait for Frasers and the new cinema to open.

"Hopefully, the cachet of a big name like Frasers will encourage other retailers to take advantage of empty retail spaces.”

Could IKEA or Amazon groceries move in?

The departure of M&S from Queensgate has prompted calls for various retailers to move into the vacant unit ranging from Disney and Lego to Levi’s and Diesel.

Dr Greyson said: “In terms of a replacement retailer, I would love to see a smaller store format for IKEA or even one of Amazon’s grocery or general stores in the space.

"After all, these big retailers are already present in Peterborough, so further investment in our wonderful regenerating city would make good business sense.”

How will customers ‘spend a penny’?

The M&S closure will also cause an inconvenience to many shoppers.

Dr Greyson said: “It concerns me that with M&S closing, we also lose their exceptionally clean and well-equipped customer toilets.

"The nearest toilets in Queensgate are located on Level One of the car park, which includes baby change and accessible facilities, however this is not particularly convenient when you are mid-shop and the public toilets in the bus station are closed temporarily for refurbishment.”