M&S plans to triple in size in West Lancs
An 18,000 sq ft food hall in Burscough has been proposed by the retailer, which is looking to relocate its Ormskirk operations to a larger site.
Marks & Spencer has started a public consultation exercise for the potential store, which would sit off High Lane by Ringtail Retail Park. The 2.6-acre site was formerly a care home.
With an 18,000 sq ft sales area, it would triple the size of the M&S Foodhall off Aughton Street in Ormskirk.
Due to its scale, this new store would be capable of offering the full range of M&S food products, as well as house an in-store bakery, dedicated shops for wine and flowers, and a click and collect area.
Developers Rothstone Estates and Marshall CDP are working with M&S on the scheme, which would also include 152 car parking spaces.
Mark Rothery, managing director of Rothstone Estates, described the project as bringing forward “a high-quality retail development on a currently vacant site, while delivering new jobs and enhanced shopping choice for local residents”.
If these plans are given the green light from West Lancashire Council, M&S would shut down its operations in Ormskirk and transfer all those employees to the new store. The company would also look to recruit another 25 staff.
M&S regional manager Pete Dobson said: “Our store rotation strategy is all about making sure we can deliver the best of M&S, and the best possible shopping experience, for customers from every store we have. At this new location off High Lane, we can deliver a fantastic store for residents, offering exceptional quality, trusted value and that touch of M&S magic.”
The consultation can be accessed at mandsburscough.co.uk.
Harris Partnership is the architect for the project, while Savills is the planner. Cadman Associates is the project manager, Exigo Project Solutions the highways consultant, and Royal Pilgrim Communications is leading on engagement.
M&S abandoning another town centre location.
By Anonymous
Keep the Ormskirk store not everyone can drive to Burscough
By Anon
That would be a shame for Ormskirk, a really nice place to visit that will be hit hard losing it’s M&S to a place that is very poorly served by public transport.
By MH
Yes please, the store in Ormskirk is too small. We never get everything we want. Parking isn’t good. You’ve made our day. Carol from Tarleton.
By Carol Oliver
Keep the Ormskirk store as well. The central location in Ormskirk is essential for people who travel to the town by public transport. I won’t be using click and collect if I have to travel to Burscough. No bus from where I live goes there. I will travel to Southport instead.
By Anonymous
I think a new M&S in burscough would be great addition to burscough . It’s in a ideal location just on high lane . I currently work in Tesco burscough and most of our customers are looking forward to it .
By Collette Hannon
Be great for store in burscough.!
By Paul Collett
Killed Ormskirk for shopping
By Unk8
Really not good news for Ormskirk, which is steadily declining into just Morrisons and some charity shops. The existing M&S is always busy and brings people into town; moving to Burscough will just duplicate the big Booths over the road, or more likely lead to it closing down, cancelling out any new jobs.
For a company that always bangs on about its environmental efforts, M&S seem determined that their stores should be as difficult as possible to get to for anyone not in a car.
By Anonymous
Would be a great detriment to the facilities of the town as well as increasing more traffic to a heavily congested area
By Anonymous
Keep the Ormskirk store. It’s the reason I shop in Ormskirk!There’s no other decent stores left here! Build the Burscough one as well,,with clothes.
By Anonymous
Penalising an already struggling market town by closing one of its most popular destination retail stores is not only absolute madness but unforgivable. No considerations whatsoever for those residents who don’t have access to a car! There isn’t even a regular, dedicated local bus service to service the proposed site! Token consultation for these kinds of developments is not only insulting but contributes directly to the demise of small market towns and should be seen for what it is. Unadulterated greed. Dressing this proposal up to be beneficial to the whole of West Lancs is patently untrue. But that won’t stop it going ahead because it’s already been decided! Absolute disgrace.
By Clive Walker - Ormskirk resident
M&S food always does well, why can’t it open a store in burscough and still keep the one in Ormskirk. Ormskirk can’t afford to lose another shop.
By Mrs Dixon
This will be brilliant for the shoppers and residents of Burscough and the surrounding areas. However I have one concern. Access to and from the shop at an busy stretch of road next to an already too small roundabout may prove problematic.
By Reece Davies
Yes great idea to open a bigger store in Burscough but the idea of closing the Ormskirk store is a very bad idea. We need them both!!
By Anonymous
Easier to get to.
By Anonymous
On dear. I don’t think I’ll be visiting Ormskirk town centre any more once it’s gone. Such an important anchor store. Another town centre abandoned by M&S.
By Over and out
Obviously, M&S now have a Plan B and that’s Burscough
By Rodney Street
I am really excited to hear that M and S are expanding into Burscough !
The store in Ormskirk has been good but the new store will be able to provide many more excellent products due to the size of the building
It was once a hotel then a nursing home but has been empty for a very long time such a shame.
By Anonymous
Love to have a larger food hall in Burscough but please keep the Ormskirk branch too at least try it.
By Irene
Great news!I didn’t go to m&s ormskirk because of the parking issues.
By Anonymous
A lot of the commenters seem to be forgetting viability. If the Ormskirk store was making enough money then they wouldn’t be closing and relocating.
Opening a store in Burscough is a great idea, but they should be going bigger and including clothing too.
By Resident
Not happy closing the best shop in Ormskirk.Not everyone can get to Burscough…..
They already have a good choice of shops unlike Ormskirk which is becoming a ghost town
By Anonymous
New store at thornton-cleveleys, why no clothes, cafe etc.
By Poppy Saunders ms
Please don’t close Ormskirk! Some of us don’t drive.. I do all my grocery shopping
In the Ormskirk M&S I go most days. I won’t be able to get to Burscough! I know dozens of friends say the same.
BURSCOUGH has lots of grocery shops you are a abandoning us in Ormskirk. Shame on.you putting profit before people. You could find a site in ORMSKIRK!
By Mrs Dora Hind
The roundabout by the proposed new M&S is already too busy and congested most of the day. The Ormskirk shop is popular for people without a car or travelling by bus from other areas. We try to support Ormskirk businesses as much as possible and if M&S goes that will leave another empty space in the town centre.
By Anonymous
Another nail in the shopping for Ormskirk. Not everyone drives. All that extra traffic on High Lane and trying to negotiate the roundabout will cause havoc.. it would be good if they kept the Ormskirk store as well.
By Patricia
Yes that would be excellent as Ormskirk is only small and and it’s a nightmare to park
By Anonymous
Left Wigan Town centre for the dreadful retail park, now planning a similar move from Ormskirk…our small towns continue to decline. No consideration for loyal customers who don’t drive but that’s business.
By Anonymous
Great news you’re getting a bigger store. Can’t wait. Ormskirk is rubbish now. It’s just going to be turned into vape shops coffee shops takeaways and flats for students. Gone downhill. Hooooray for the new big store at burscough 👍👍
By Tony
I don’t agree with the move.I live in ormskirk and don’t drive but I visit m+s daily as do lots of people.there are plenty of large empty units in ormskirk that could be used to increase the size of the shop,it will destroy ormskirk if another shop closes.Also the traffic problems in burscough would be hurendous the roundabout there is gridlocked all weekend this would just ad to the problem.This proposal is the most stupid thing I have heard in a long time and most inconsiderate for none drivers and elderly who live in ormskirk
By Anonymous
Why not move to the old Iceland unit in Ormskirk if they want a bigger site. It’s more central and still in Ormskirk town centre.
It would be a shame to move out of Ormskirk with easy access via public transport and, despite other comments, good parking (3 hours for £1 in most car parks).
By Anonymous
Ormskirk losing out again a town with barbers nail bars a and wine bars nothing else thanks to labour and edge Hill uni
By Anonymous
The old BHS on Fishergate Preston would make a good place for a M&S Foodhall it is right across the road from M&S I go in there every Friday the food hall is quite small they could extend the clothing and home wear and have the foodhall across the Road
By Lynn Salisbury
Why not both, traffic in burscough dreadful already.
By Anonymous
The Ormskirk small store should be left alone as a premium quick shop store. ( as per Tesco/Sainsburys in town/village stores.
The popular Booths store and Cafe on the intended general site should have rite to valid comment!
By Anonymous
An excellent contribution to the area.
By Paul Sesnan