Marks & Spencer to move Foodhall from High Street to Christchurch Retail Park

A prominent food retailer in Christchurch is set to leave its High Street site for a location where a home furnishings store moved only in January.

A spokesperson for Marks & Spencer said that it was “excited” about relocating its Foodhall to Christchurch Retail Park – on the site where The Range replaced Homebase

The move will triple the Foodhall’s current size.

In a statement, the spokesperson said: "We are excited to submit plans for a future 15,000sqft fresh market-style foodhall at Christchurch Retail Park. The site, triple the size of our existing Christchurch offer, will mean we can deliver the very best of M&S Food with plenty more products to choose from.

“The proposed store would also create over 30 new local jobs and we look forward to working with BCP Council and local residents on the plans.”

As reported, The Range superstore opened to long lines in January.

The spokesperson said they did not have a date for the relocation but said all staff at the Christchurch High Street store will be offered jobs at the new Foodhall, or at nearby M&S branches, while another 38 jobs will also be created.

In its planning application M&S said the existing Christchurch Foodhall was “too small and outdated”.

It had looked at other sites in the town centre, but they were also too small.

Reacting to the plans, many residents online shared fears that the move will lead to other stores in the town closing. One said: “Once M&S goes that will be it. So many people go to town just for that and then use the coffee shops, etc. They will really suffer if it goes.”

Another said: “We need M&S, it’s one of the only reasons I bother going into town.”

There has been one letter of support for the application from a local who said they believed the new store would be a “great asset to the retail park”.

They added: “Although it will result in the closure of the town centre branch It will have an overall positive impact on Christchurch as the new facility will offer: an increased product range, greatly improved vehicle parking space and an increase in employment opportunities.”

In a statement, M&S said that as Christchurch town centre was in “good health” the “level of impact” on it of closing its high street store will be “acceptable”.