A Marks & Spencer store that campaigners battled to save from closure for five years is to close its doors for the last time next week.

The long-standing outlet in the East Kilbride Shopping Centre is to close after the company reached an agreement over its lease, reports our sister title The Herald.

At its height, 67 were employed at the Marks & Spencer store in the shopping centre.

Staff will be transferred to a “nearby store” the company said in a statement last night.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon urged to intervene in Glasgow budget as parties in feud over cuts

Marks & Spencer was earlier embroiled in a legal wrangle over the lease.

The shop had been earmarked for closure since 2018, prompting a campaign by residents and politicians.

The town centre store is 27,400 square feet in size, and before the first Covid lockdown, the shop had a food hall and sold men's and women's clothing.

READ MORE: Cuts are sending cleansing workers to an 'early grave', warns union

Scott Munro, regional manager for Marks & Spencer, said: “We’re rotating our store estate to make sure we have the right stores to offer our customers a brilliant shopping experience.

"As part of this transformation, we announced our intention to close our East Kilbride Shopping Centre store some years ago and have been looking to agree a commercial agreement with our landlord.

“We’ve now reached a mutual commercial agreement and can confirm our store will close on February 25."

 

He said: "All colleagues are being offered a transfer to a nearby store.

"Closing this store means we can invest in many of our other 94 stores across Scotland – including the renewal of our nearby East Kilbride Kingsgate foodhall where next month we’re unveiling a new fresh-market design and bigger in-store bakery.”

Separately, Sapphire, East Kilbride Shopping Centre’s owner, went into administration late last year, with a buyer sought.

M&S first opened in the South Lanarkshire town in 1973, when one Thursday in July it was reported more than 100 people were waiting for the doors to open at 6.30am.