"Another one bites the dust": Customers' shock as Doncaster M&S to shut after 50 years

The retail giant has confirmed that its store in Baxtergate will close next year – with trade transferring to a newly expanded retail park unit on Wheatley Hall Road.

It is the latest in a series of high profile store closures in the city centre in recent years with Debenhams, Wilko, British Home Stores, Binns and Woolworth all closing down.

And shoppers have reacted with upset at the news which will see the chain leave Doncaster city centre after more than 50 years.

One said: “Another major city store bites the dust in this “city” of Doncaster? I mean, what the?”

Another posted: “I think this is a bad idea. Their consumer demographic, especially in Doncaster town centre, is pensioners.

"My aunt will go to town just for this shop. She won’t be able to travel to Wheatley Hall road. So many people will miss out.

Another wrote: “That's it then..... a dead city.”

Another shopper posted: “Right! Well that will be the end of Doncaster city. This really makes me sad and angry.”

“What a pity, there will be nothing left in Doncaster,” shared another.

"What sad news,” posted another. “I’ve been asking staff for ages and they all said it was a rumour so now it’s out in the open.

"Sad news for people who go to Doncaster - it won’t be worth going to Doncaster there’s nothing left.”

Rumours of the store’s closure have been circulating for months – but this morning M&S confirmed the shutdown – and the plan to move into a new and extended store at Wheatley Retail Park.

Kerry Ely, M&S Regional Manager, said: “Shopping habits are changing, so we’re rotating our store estate to make sure we have the right stores with the right space to offer customers a brilliant shopping experience.

We’re excited to be announcing a £7m investment today to extend our Wheatley Hall Road Simply Food store in the Wheatley Centre Shopping Park, tripling its size to deliver a bigger foodhall and brand-new spacious and stylish 20,000 sq ft clothing and home department.

"This follows a £21m investment last year in new stores across Yorkshire.

“Once the extension is complete in summer 2025, our Baxter Gate store will close. We are offering our colleagues alternative roles at M&S and in the meantime, we look forward to continuing to serve our customers across Doncaster.”

But the scheme has been welcomed by others.

One customer said: “Funnily enough, having been in there this week I wondered how they were managing to justify the food hall being open it was that dead.

"Must cost them a fortune in waste.

"The one on Wheatley Hall Road is always packed so it must have been a fairly easy business decision.”

The store has operated in Baxtergate and Frenchgate for more than five decades, opening on the site of the former Doncaster Guild Hall which was demolished in 1959.