Cabot Circus Marks & Spencer 'will attract so many people' as move hailed

Marks & Spencer is returning to Bristol - and Bristol Live readers have been hailing the move in our comments section. Cabot Circus' House of Fraser will be the store to make way for it, ending a 16-year stay in the shopping centre.

The retailer has said that the three-floor department and food store will create 150 jobs for Bristol, and they will be investing £21 million in the project. M&S has been absent from the city centre since January 2022, when it closed its Broadmead store after 70 years.

Reader Tomcorbett1 is excited for the new arrival: "A flagship M&S store at Cabot Circus, central Bristol is absolutely great news! It will attract so many people and so many missed the Broadmead store. Bristol centre needs a M&S, £21 million invested.

READ MORE: I tried the restaurant inside Bristol Beacon and I was the only person eating there

READ MORE: Man charged after M5 police incident

"Those who sound not interested, the reason Bristol centre is suffering is because of people who don't visit then moan at the state of the city centre. Get positive Bristolians! This is terrific news in every way, cinema soon I hope.”

Commenter 47morpheus is one of those less enthused: “One shop isnt gonna make Cabot Circus a destination.” M&S should never have left, says Bettboo22: “It should have been there in the first place.”

Downsguy2 writes: “This should increase footfall considerably in the city centre, and draw people way from the Mall at Cribbs Causeway, which is an utterly soulless energy sapping place to be.”

So Va says: “It will give me a good reason to visit, as I think that I have only been twice in the past two years.”

Mrjollyer jokes: “Great news for my lunch time sandwich but bad news for the prawn community in the northern Atlantic.”

Hammerson, which owns Cabot Circus, said the change will have a ‘positive impact’ on the shopping centre. “We are delighted to continue expanding our partnership with M&S in Cabot Circus, having seen the positive impact of their presence across our other destinations,” said Hammerson chief executive Rita-Rose Gagné.

“M&S is a brand that resonates with our core catchment areas and this new store will support our strategy to create a leading destination, thriving at the heart of Bristol city centre,” she added.

The news was welcomed by the leader of Bristol City Council, Cllr Tony Dyer (Green, Southville). “We welcome the news that Marks & Spencer have decided to return to Bristol city centre, and I look forward to supporting their plans for a new store in Cabot Circus," he said. "This decision to take on a larger and very prominent site at the heart of our city’s retail centre is a strong vote of confidence in our local economy.

Which other shops would be great additions to Bristol city centre? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.