The story of the demise of what was once a hugely popular Marks & Spencer anchoring the country’s biggest indoor shopping centre was played out at one stage in the highest civil court in the land.
There was a wrangle around claims M&S had breached a contract which obliged it to keep its East Kilbride Shopping Centre store open until 2071, the landlord winning a Court of Session interim order to stop the retail giant from closing it down.
The case later came back to court amid claims it was being operated as a “clearance” store. Shoppers were greeted by blacked out doors and windows, and a sparse offering.
In a 2021 judgement issued by the court, Judge Lord Braid wrote: “In the modern vernacular, the defender has ‘pushed the envelope’ by doing what it considers the bare minimum in order to comply with the order. It is not enough.”
The court was told the 27,400 square feet town centre shop was earning £400 a week.
The landlord, Sapphire, now in administration, later moved to bring the contempt case to an end after there were visible improvements made to the store which was by then earning up to £12,000 a week.
It was this week confirmed the shop, which at one point employed 67, will close next Saturday after an agreement was reached with M&S, with remaining staff to be transferred to a nearby outlet.
READ MORE: Marks & Spencer to close East Kilbride store after 50 years
Centre administrators Interpath Advisory said the wider facility is operating as normal, that it has engaged Scoop as its strategic asset managers and it continues to work with Reith Lambert as property managers.
The centre has more than 150 shops and restaurants, a cinema and an ice rink but has also lost Debenhams.
Matalan was brought in last year and talks are under way for more new tenants.
A spokesman for the shopping centre said M&S looked to close its outlet there “a number of years ago in line with a UK wide change to its business policy and a focus on the creation of more ‘out of town’ retail units”, adding: “Whilst the EK unit has continued to trade with a greatly reduced offering, EK, East Kilbride [the centre] has also been pushing forward a robust letting strategy, a process that resulted in the opening of high street giant, Matalan, in late 2022."
He said: “Since opening its doors, the popular store has welcomed huge numbers of shoppers, with the centre now in active discussions with a number of other retailers about moving to EK town centre.”
M&S said: “Closing this store means we can invest in many of our other 94 stores across Scotland – including the renewal of our nearby East Kilbride Kingsgate foodhall where next month we’re unveiling a new fresh-market design and bigger in-store bakery.”
The people of East Kilbride, Scotland’s first brave new town, queued outside one Thursday in 1973 waiting for the old store’s grand 6.30am opening.
When my mum had been to Marks it meant treats.
Also this week, there were a few home truths from a Scottish think tank for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The Fraser of Allander Institute “emphasised in its Deloitte-sponsored commentary – and it is something that is always worth hammering home – that the anticipated easing of the inflation rate does not mean falling prices”.
A milestone was reached when Glasgow-based Livingston James became the first recruitment specialist in Scotland to complete the move into employee ownership.
Elsewhere, one environmentally conscious Scottish fashion brand Beira Moda has bucked the trend and is on the hunt for a permanent retail outlet and a local factory to produce its garments as it seeks to further its sustainable credentials.
In the week that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon resigned, business responded, paying tribute to her dedication and marking the end of an era, with a call to signal to “correct regulatory policies which are not practically working for businesses”.
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