Marks & Spencer poised for shopping rush as its three Peterborough stores prepare to reopen

And customers at the food-to-clothing retailer, which operates three stores across the city, are being warned to be on the lookout for a number of vital changes.

The retailer say the new look to the stores in the Queensgate shopping centre, the Serpentine Green shopping centre in Hampton, and at the Brotherhood Retail Park, in Lincoln Road, is designed to give more choice and rewards to customers.

The stores will reopen on Monday as Covid-19 lockdown rules, which have meant four months of enforced closure for so-called non-essential retailers, are finally lifted.

A spokeswoman for M&S said: “We are getting ready to welcome more shoppers back in store as customers look ahead to brighter days.

“We are sharing how stores across Peterborough will be set up to offer customers the inspiration and flexibility to Shop Your Way.

She added: “M&S has been continually adapting its store experience, offering products and services that local customers want after a year of significant change.

“Our stores across Peterborough are offering a range of exciting new products and services to make shopping with us easier, convenient and more rewarding – from digital payment options to rewards and treats for shopping through our Sparks loyalty programme.

“All of this supported by standout M&S customer service in a safe and clean store.

And Lee Boon, M&S Regional Manager for East Anglia, added: “We’re excited to welcome more customers back into our stores from April 12 and look forward to continuing to serve our local community.

“Whether you’re looking for our latest Dine-In family feast or those must-have wardrobe staples to see you into summer, we have everything to help you Shop Your Way.

“With exciting new services like our contact-free bra fitting and the Scan & Shop service on our Sparks mobile app, we’re supporting customers however they choose to shop.

“Whether that’s browsing in store or using our click & collect service, our local team is ready to help.”

The changes include:

Shop Your Way, which offers easy and rewarding ways to pay:

Following the relaunch of the M&S Sparks loyalty scheme in July last year, M&S stores across Peterborough are marking the return of retail by offering one Sparks customer every single day for two weeks from April 12, in every store, their whole basket or trolley of shopping for free.

The mobile App also allows customers to shop in store with their phones with the Scan & Shop with Sparks service offering a quick way to pay without using the till.

This follows the recent extension of Sparks Book & Shop to help customer plan ahead and book a slot to shop at a time that suits them.

Shop Your Way:

This offers outstanding customer service from the welcoming host on the door and the operations teams behind the scenes to the valuable in-store services offered in-store.

Bra Fit:

Bra fit is back at M&S Peterborough Brotherhood, allowing customers to choose between a contact-free bra fit from expert colleague or the new option of accessing expert service from home via a virtual appointment.

M&S Peterborough Brotherhood is also improving its Bra Fit service by offering customers on-the-spot payment service Pay With Me – so customers can purchase lingerie straight after their appointment from M&S’s expert Bra Fit colleagues without visiting a till.

Click and Collect:

The retailer say more customers are looking to take advantage of the flexibility and convenience of shopping with M&S across its website and their local store. M&S is making this easier by blending these services and offering local customers free next day collection when ordered by 8pm.

In addition, customer toilets will also be back open, with strict cleaning protocols in place to ensure the highest levels of hygiene.

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