Shock as Marks & Spencer store set to close with 57 employees to lose jobs

AN Irish Marks & Spencer store is set to close with the loss of 57 jobs in just weeks.

Staff were told this morning that the Drogheda store would be shutting.

It will close for good on Friday, March 8.

M&S bosses said they will support affected staff through the closure.

The Drogheda store’s sales performance was “behind the rest of our store estate”.

Country Director Ireland & Northern Ireland Eddie Murphy said: “M&S is committed to Ireland and we have ambitious plans for growth including doubling the number of Irish-based suppliers we work with.

“Our recent Christmas trading figures show we’re heading in the right direction.

“However, we also need to modernise our business to safeguard what we have achieved.

“Shopping habits are changing, and we are shaping our store estate to focus our investment on the right stores in the right places.

“We have made the tough decision to close our Drogheda store because the shopping centre has low occupancy – requiring significant investment – and its sales performance is behind the rest of our store estate.

“We’ve shared this news with affected colleagues today and our priority now is to support them through these changes.

“We understand there will be some disappointment with our announcement, but we believe that this decision is the right one for the future of M&S in Ireland – allowing us to invest in our store estate, expand our Irish supply base and continue to build our partnership with Applegreen, whilst offering our customers exceptional value, quality, service and innovation.”

Elsewhere, an iconic store on Dublin’s Henry Street has closed after 40 years in business.

Korky’s owner John Corcoran has had to close down his fifth store with immediate effect due to a decline in sales.

The last remaining store in the capital is located at Dundrum.

He said sales had collapsed due to online trading and the proliferation of suburban shopping centres.

John also told how Dublin city centre “has been hollowed out for retail.”

He intends to continue the business at Dundrum and hopes to hand it over to his nephew.

He told Independent.ie: “My nephew may be able to knock a living out of our last shop, but it’s not certain there’s a living in it.

“Bricks-and-mortar footwear shops are in decline everywhere because of the internet.”