Marks and Spencer has included five locations in the North East and North Yorkshire on a list of places where it would consider opening new stores.

As part of the retail giant's store rotation plan, the company has identified a number of places across the country where it would consider opening new stores. 

M&S eye up 5 North East and North Yorkshire locations:

Sedgefield, Boldon, Guisborough, Northallerton and Richmond have been included on the list, but that does not mean a store will open in the towns. 

M&S has said it is looking for two-acre sites or bigger, edge of the centre or out of town, on a major road with easy access. It is looking for sites to have a dedicated car park with around 150 spaces. 

An M&S spokesperson said: “As part of our store rotation programme, we are always looking at potential new sites to make sure M&S has the right stores, in the right place, with the right space.”

M&S has said the requirements for new stores are: 

  • Store Size 6-25,000 sqft 
  • New builds or conversions considered
  • Prominent sites
  • Dedicated or nearby car parking required zones 4-6
  • Freehold or leasehold considered
  • Good access to the public transport network

The North East and North Yorkshire locations M&S is considering:

  • Sedgefield
  • Boldon
  • Guisborough
  • Northallerton
  • Richmond

Last month, it was announced that Marks and Spencer is set to close its store within a store at Darlington's Cornmill Shopping Centre. 

The popular brand - which currently operates a Simply Food section within WHSmith - is set to stop its offering in the town later this year. 

This means that, as of 2025, the only remaining Marks and Spencer in Darlington will be its Simply Food outlet at West Park, just off West Auckland Road. 

No reasoning behind the decision to close the M&S store has been provided, with a spokesperson for the firm saying it reviews its offer in franchise stores "to ensure we have the right products for our customers in the right space at the right time". 

The stationary retailer added that it also "regularly reviews ranges in stores" - with an exact closing date for the offering not yet known.