Troubled UK retailer Marks & Spencer is closing four stores in Germany and two in France. The properties are a mix of leaseholds and freeholds, including operations in Essen, Dortmund and Wuppertal, which were all bought from a local retailer in 1997. The French shops are in Marseille Grand Littoral (out-of-town) and Rouen.
A spokesman said it was too early to say how the company would dispose of the properties. He added that the stores were shutting because they are trading “significantly below expectations”.
M&S says it still wants to expand on the Continent and is planning to open a big store on Frankfurt’s prime shopping street called Zeil in November.
The retailer will continue to trade from 36 stores in continental Europe – 18 in France, nine in Spain, four in Belgium, two each in Holland and Germany and one in Luxembourg. A Barcelona store opens later this year.
