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Marks and Spencer has opened its first new look M&S Café at its new Solihull Sears store as part of its “transformative store renewal programme”.
Located at Sears Retail Park in Solihull, the new café is a “test and learn” renewal concept in hospitality for the retailer.
The new format is designed to deliver a “complete step-change” through its “inviting store design”, improved range, food quality and freshness combined with improved coffee credentials.
The venue has been completely redesigned as a new café operating model focusing on a “digital customer experience” with on-screen and on-phone ordering.
This is M&S’s sixteenth food renewal store, following recent refurbishments of M&S Stratford City, M&S Wolstanton, M&S Gyle and M&S Lisburn, and new store openings at Paisley, Staines and Straiton.
The group said a further 24 renewal stores are planned for the 21/22 financial year, taking the total to 40, while a further two renewal cafes are in the pipeline as M&S “tests and learns the concept”.
Stuart Machin, chief operating officer and managing director of M&S Food, said: “We’re relentlessly focussed on protecting the magic of our delicious, great quality M&S Food at fantastic value whilst at the same time modernising how we bring these products to our customers – and that’s what our Store Renewal programme is all about.
“We’ve seen our renewal store concepts deliver a bigger, better and fresher experience for customers across Food and we’re excited to expand the programme further this year.”
He added: “With hospitality being a key part of the M&S shopping experience for many of our customers, by testing our café renewal format in Solihull, we hope to cement our reputation as a great destination for families.”
