Marks & Spencer closes 17 more stores in new blow

Marks & Spencer has dealt a fresh blow to the high street as it announced another wave of store closures, putting more than 1,000 jobs at risk. The struggling high street giant is closing one in three of its main stores - those that sell clothing, homewares and food under one roof - and on Tuesday revealed the locations of the next 17 branches to close in coming months. Sacha Berendji, the M&S retail, operations and property director, said: "Proposing to close stores is never easy, for our colleagues, customers or the local community, but it is vital for the future of M&S."

M&S's decision to retreat from a swathe of UK towns and cities comes as many high streets are struggling with fewer customers and the shift to online shopping. The most recent figures available showed the number of shops, pubs and restaurants lying empty soared in the first six months of 2018.

Despite its problems, M&S, with its broad range of products, is a prized high street name as its stores attract 19.5 million shoppers every week. Local MPs and councillors vowed to try to persuade the company to reverse its decision. "I'm asking them what we can do locally to help change their mind," said Thérèse Coffey, a junior minister whose Suffolk Coastal constituency is affected by the closure of the retailer's Felixstowe branch.