M&S Martlesham Heath to reopen tomorrow after refurbishment
The M&S Food Hall at Martlesham Heath will reopen on Wednesday, 29 April, following a two-and-a-half-month closure for an internal refit that has introduced a new layout, bakery, coffee counter and dedicated flower and wine shops.
Why it matters: The Martlesham Heath store has long been one of the retailer's larger sites in the county, and its reopening restores a significant shopping destination for the area ahead of the May bank holiday weekend.
The details: The shop has been closed since mid-February, with work taking place over the past two months to deliver the new-look store.
The refurbishment introduces several new features for customers:
- A new in-store bakery
- A coffee counter serving barista-made takeaway drinks
- Dedicated flower and wine shops
- An M&S cheese barge – a market-style display counter
For context: In March, East Suffolk Council approved plans for external changes to the site, including refurbishment of the store's exit, an extended canopy and updates to the cafe.
What they're saying: Jonathan Black, Store Manager at M&S Martlesham Heath, said: “It’s not long now until we reopen our doors, and we want to extend a huge thank you to our customers for their patience while we’ve been hard at work on this transformation. The team and I can’t wait to welcome you back through the doors and showcase the very best of M&S Food.”
The bigger picture: The Martlesham reopening comes as M&S continues to expand its presence across the town and county.
Plans have been submitted for a new Food Hall in Stowmarket, while in December last year, Babergh councillors unanimously approved a £31m M&S store at the former Toys R Us site at Copdock Interchange. That site, which had stood empty for seven years, is set to be refurbished and extended by 2,755 square metres, creating more than 100 new jobs.
The Copdock development is expected to result in the resizing of the existing M&S store on Westgate Street in Ipswich town centre. The retailer has assured residents that the town centre store will remain open, but Ipswich.co.uk confirmed that, contrary to previous reports, it has no contractual obligation to do so.
The bottom line: After more than two months of refurbishment work, M&S Martlesham Heath will reopen to customers from Wednesday, 29 April, with a revamped interior and new food and drink offerings, as the retailer continues to grow its Suffolk presence.
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