Petition to keep Marks & Spencer in Castleford grows to 1,000 signatures amid fears store's pullout could cripple town centre

The retail giant, which has traded at the site since 1934, announced last week that it would pull out of its Carlton Street site.

Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford MP Yvette Cooper has started a petition urging the store to stay.

She said: "Over 1,000 people have now signed our petition urging Marks & Spencer to think again.

“It’s so important to Castleford. I’m calling on them to meet with Wakefield Council urgently to discuss what could be done to make it possible to stay in town.

Following the announcement last week, the MP said: “The Government promised to support our town centres but it has failed. We cannot afford for our town centres to be run down while big stores move to out of town developments.”

Castleford councillor Tony Wallis said there was a risk of a domino effect if fewer shoppers saw a reason to go into town.

He said: “M&S has been in town for years and I think people are now worried we are getting to a point where we only need one other store to go and people wouldn't have a reason to go to town.

"Even though the market and businesses we have are good and it would feel like a tipping point.”

In 2019, Castleford secured £23.9m from the government’s Towns Fund with the money set to pay for two projects.

Coun Wallis has urged M&S to stay in the town until the benefits can be reaped by all businesses.

He said: “We are just at the start of regeneration and I am sure M&S would benefit as well if they stayed on just a bit longer – then hopefully they will stay permanently.”

Fellow Castleford councillor Richard Forster said there was an important social aspect to the shop.

He said: “It is the heart of the town and you have to think about the staff who work there. A lot of people who go into town live alone and interaction with people is an important part of their day.”

One business owner based in Castleford described how customers had already told him they would stop coming to the town if the plans for M&S closure goes ahead.

Andrew Robinson, co-director of D&R wholesalers, said: “It’s devastating and a disaster. Any business of that magnitude that closes reduces footfall that everyone needs.

“If you’re an M&S customer, you’ll find an alternative store and go to an alternative town.

“This is the biggest and most important decision that’s happened in the town centre whilst I’ve been in retail.”

Matt Graham, M&S regional manager, said: “Shopping habits are changing, so we’re rotating our store estate to make sure we have the right stores to offer customers a brilliant shopping experience.

"As part of this transformation, we have today announced to colleagues our proposal to close our M&S Castleford store at 57 Carlton Street.

“Our priority now is to talk to our colleagues about what this announcement means for them and, wherever possible, offer them alternative roles with M&S.

"We appreciate that this will be disappointing news but it means we can invest in many of our other stores in West Yorkshire.”