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Marks & Spencer to close 100 stores in the next four years in 'vital' restructure

Marks & Spencer has announced it will close 100 stores by 2022 as part of a 'vital' restructure.

The closures will affect its clothing and home stores, which have under-performed for several years, and will put thousands of jobs at risk.

The locations of 14 of the shops has been announced and include London stores in Bayswater and Holloway Road.

Sacha Berendji, director of retail and property, said the decision was "not easy but it is vital for the future of M&S".

Closures: Marks & Spencer signs are seen outside outside a store in London (REUTERS)
Closures: Marks & Spencer signs are seen outside outside a store in London (REUTERS)

Twenty-one stores have already closed down since the start of the revamp in 2016.

Marks and Spencer store closures: Which M&S branches are due to shut?

The clothing, home and food retailer has been seeking to save costs through the closures or stores and distribution centres as part of a wide-ranging efficiency drive as the company's financial performance deteriorates.

Confirmed stores to be closed

Bayswater

Fleetwood (Outlet store)

Newton Abbot (Outlet store)

Clacton

Holloway Road

Darlington

East Kilbride

Falkirk

Kettering

Newmarket

New Mersey Speke

Northampton

Stockton

Walsall

Mr Berendji said: "We are making good progress with our plans to reshape our store estate to be more relevant to our customers and support our online growth plans.

"Where we have closed stores, we are seeing an encouraging number of customers moving to nearby stores and enjoying shopping with us in a better environment, which is why we're continuing to transform our estate with pace."

Shoppers expressed their sadness at the news, with some saying they would be forced to shop elsewhere due to their local store closing.

The High Street giant is still trying to recover after falling sales in the final three months of 2017.

Overall sales were down 1.4 per cent – with clothing dropping 2.8 per cent and food sales down 0.4 per cent.

The retailer announces annual results on Wednesday.