M&S, Burton head to bigger out-of-town stores

MARKS & Spencer and Burton are leaving the town centre for bigger stores at the soon-to-be revamped Elliott's Field Retail Park.

As stores at Elliott's Field prepare to close for the start of redevelopment work this month, the park's owners have revealed their new line-up will also include Clarks and Arcadia’s Outfit, which will incorporate former town centre stores Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Wallis and Miss Selfridge, as well as Burton.

At three times the size of its current store, the new M&S will be a second 'anchor' department store for the retail park alongside Debenhams, and will feature fashion, homeware and a food department.

Tom Cochrane, Development Manager at Elliott's Field owners Hammerson, said: “The brand will be a great addition to the retail line-up at Elliott’s Field and will help to retain consumer spending in the region.”

An M&S spokeswoman said: “The new store relocation will offer a much bigger, better M&S, and create 60 new jobs. It ensures we are in the best location to serve our customers and, importantly, secures our long term future in Rugby.”

She added the high street housewife's favourite had decided on Elliott’s Field Retail Park rather than possibly becoming the anchor store for Clock Towers Shopping Centre's on-ice expansion.

M&S has been in Rugby town centre since 1937. It will be joined at Elliott's Field by TK Maxx and Next, which will double the size of its current store.

Aftab Gaffar, Managing Director of Rugby First, said the M&S move was hugely disappointing news and a major short term blow for the town centre.

He said: “The closure of the town centre store will hit existing customers hard and the new out-of-town location will be less convenient.

“M&S, as owners of the building, must make every effort to secure a new tenant for the vacant store as soon as possible.”

He repeated a call for the government and landlords to address high rates and rents in town centres which, he said, were driving businesses away.

“Out of town retail parks are a real threat to town centres and it is vital we compete with them on all levels,” he said.

The town centre does, however, look set to welcome Burger King with the fast food chain identified as proposed occupants of the former Burton store in a change of use planning application.

Current Elliott's Field occupants Brantano and Carpet Right are believed to be moving to new units at Junction One Retail Park, while Wickes, Homebase and Pets at Home feature in a planning application for a mini retail park off Technology Drive.

Work is due to start later this month on the £35 million redevelopment, with the scheme due to launch in time for Christmas 2015.

Requests for information on the new Burger King store had not been answered when the Observer went to press.

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