Kilmarnock M&S food hall to earn an expected £14m by 2029

The move will see the retail giant transferring from its longstanding location on King Street to Units 3 and 4 in Queens Drive Retail Park.

The new food hall will take over the two units at the retail park, previously Carpetright and Harry Corry.

The new premises is set to have a total floor space of 1,870 square metres, with a net sales area of 1,325 square metres.

The food sales area alone will take up 1,195 square metres, providing an increase of 345 square metres compared to the current M&S store.

Clothing and home products, previously available in the M&S King Street store, will not be transferred to the new location.

Instead, the new format will operate as a food hall-only store.

Customers will still have access to M&S clothing through click and collect, home delivery, and the company's stores in Ayr and Silverburn.

The relocation of the M&S store could help claw back approximately £1.36 million spent by Kilmarnock residents at other M&S stores.

Currently, 30p of every pound spent in Kilmarnock's M&S is spent elsewhere at the company's other locations.

The new venture is estimated to safeguard 71 jobs and provide further employment opportunities through construction, fit-out jobs, and in the broader logistics chain.

Social programmes initiated by M&S, such as the 'Marks & Start' scheme, will also continue to benefit the local community.

In response to concerns about the impact of the closure of the existing M&S store on the town centre, the company confirmed the lease would expire in March 2027, meaning the store would close regardless of planning decisions.

The new site will have increased food floorspace.

The proposed site has undergone a sequential test, with criteria including size requirements and accessibility, passing with favourable results.

In terms of accessibility, the retail park offers more than 1,000 free spaces, and is served by several bus routes.

The new site will incorporate several environmentally friendly features, furthering M&S' net zero by 2040 target.