Marks and Spencer has issued a statement on whether its North East clothing stores are set to close.

The future of several of the large shops that the high street brand own in the region has been thrown into doubt following recent reports that the company is closing 25 per cent of its larger stores.

M&S has stores in Middlesbrough, Harrogate, Teesside Park, the Arnison Centre, and a number of shops in Newcastle.

As part of the retailer’s plans, the number of clothes and homeware stores would be reduced from 247 to around 180 shops by 2028.

Read more: North Yorkshire tops regions in AA Restaurant Guide 2023

Closures will target “lower productivity” outlets, although the aim is for the store closures to be completed in the next three years.

M&S will instead replace the stores by adding over 100 of its Simply Food outlets across the country.

The brand will add the shops as it moves towards its grocery and food stores.

The company cited the need to deal with the “difficult economic backdrop” as the reason for the change in strategy, with many businesses facing troubles due to the cost-of-living crisis.

Marks and Spencer has also recently committed to a pay rise for over 40,000 staff members. The move, which affects staff on the lowest wages, will see some workers paid at least £10.20 an hour from October having previously been upped to £10 in April.

Alongside its offering of Marks and Spencer stores in the North East, there are some Simply Food stores scattered around the region.

It’s unknown at this point where the new Simply Food outlets will be based.

In response to worries that the store could be under threat, a spokesman for Marks and Spencer said: “We haven’t made any new announcements about store closures.

The company added that shoppers “may have seen some reporting around our presentation to investors today” but that “the information that was reshared here about our stores is just about our existing long-term plan to rotate our store estate”.

Read next:

If you want to read more great stories, why not subscribe to your Northern Echo for as little as £1.25 a week. Click here