Marks and Spencer: Mayor "disappointed" at store closure as she urges shoppers to support Doncaster

The High Street retail giant announced yesterday that it is shutting its store in Baxtergate and Frenchgate in 2025, with trade moving to a new and expanded store on the Wheatley Retail Park on Wheatley Hall Road.

Following the closure, Don Valley Conservative MP Nick Fletcher blamed the shutdown on the Mayor saying: “We cannot let this trend carry on."

Responding, Mayor Jones has said that the city centre and shopping habits are both continuing to evolve – and has urged local shoppers to keep supporting local firms.

She said: “I am disappointed at the news of the planned closure of the Baxtergate Marks and Spencer store, which has been an anchor in our city centre for many years.

"Although this is regrettable, I am pleased that the company plans to expand their Wheatley Hall Road location and retain the jobs of the current staff from the Baxtergate store.

“The world of retail continues to change, with ever increasing online and supermarket sales dominating the retail sector.

"With larger anchor stores and retail chains either moving to smaller premises or moving out of town and city centres, our city centre in Doncaster will need to continue to evolve.

"We are already moving forward by redeveloping our city centre to offer a mix of leisure, culture, education, hospitality to support traditional retail and our Doncaster Markets.

“I encourage people to keep visiting our city centre and enjoy all that we have on offer. Although the current cost of living crisis means we all have less to spend, it is vital that we all support our local highstreets and local businesses.”

Yesterday, Conservative MP Nick Fletcher blamed the Mayor and said: “I am very sad to read of the imminent closure of this store in our town centre.

“The Mayor has to start listening to me. We cannot let this trend carry on."

The MP linked to a list of proposals he drafted up two years ago which he says will transform the city centre.

His plan, which he described as “radical” includes scrapping park and ride schemes, scrapping pedestrianisation and one way systems, allowing cars and buses to use city centre streets, free parking for all and increased police patrols for safety.

He added: “We all know that our city centre is in decline. We’ve all watched it get worse over time.

“The Mayor knows it too.

“She’s had her time and has wasted so many years since her election in 2013. “It’s time for a change.”

Rumours of the store’s closure have been circulating for months – but yesterday 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.”