New store brings 50 jobs

 

© Evening Times Originally published: 9/11/2009

Marks & Spencer's new Simply Food store will open on Thursday November 19 at the town's Kingsgate Retail Park.

As well as food, the shop will offer a 54-seat café.

The store will also offer clothing for men and women as well as homeware, stationery and gifts.

As well as organic and Fairtrade food and drink options, an in-store bakery will offer bread, cakes and pastries.

Store manager Jennifer Moore said: "We're delighted to be opening a new Simply Food store in East Kilbride.

"The store will bring a fresh, new shopping environment to the town and we're looking forward to welcoming local shoppers through the doors on the 19th."

The new 14,000 sq ft shop will open at 10am with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

An in-store DJ and a complimentary glass of champagne, plus the opportunity to win a share of £1,000 worth of M&S Gift Cards will be on offer on the opening day.

Despite tough recent trading conditions the firm announced last week that its profits were up.

Profits before tax, excluding property sales, edged up to £298.3 million from £297.8m last year, defying expectations.

Sales increased by 2.8% to £4.3 billion and mean staff are in line for Christmas bonuses reported to be around £850 each.

Plus the company has announced it will start selling some branded products in its food stores, breaking with its tradition of selling only M&S items.

The firm is also facing competition from expanding upmarket food retailer Waitrose, which will open its first Glasgow store on Byres Road in the West End on Thursday.

Another will follow in Newton Mearns in 2011