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The retail giant announced plans to close the Carlton Street store earlier this year.

Despite efforts by campaigner, Wakefield Council and Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford MP Yvette Cooper the store confirmed last week it would not reconsider.

Saturday, April 22 will be the store’s last day of trading.

Local councillors, business owners and residents are hoping they can persuade Marks & Spencer to reverse their decision to close the Castleford store. Picture Scott Merrylees

Ms Cooper said the chain had ‘lost its roots’ as negotiations ground to a halt.

The initial announcement, which arrived in late January, raised fears of how Castleford would deal with the blow of losing one of its biggest retailers as it awaited substantial investment from the government’s Towns Fund.

Ms Cooper said: “It is incredibly disappointing that M&S have refused to change their minds and are refusing to consider any other option than closing this month despite all the strong views from local people and the impact it has in town.

"I’ve had repeated meetings with M&S and arranged for them to meet with Wakefield Council

to look at other options to stay open including switching to food only,

linking it to the new town investment, or even just delaying closure

until a new plan was in place for the store.

"But M&S have refused to look at any of those options and are pushing ahead with closure.

"They’ve obviously decided to switch to big out of town stores, going against all their roots as a traditional high street, community focused business.

"After local shoppers have supported the store for over 90 years, our town deserved better than this from M&S.

"Wakefield Council are now looking urgently at what can be done to help get a new occupier and it’s really important we all continue to support other local businesses and jobs so they aren’t hit by this too.”

An M&S spokesperson 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.

"Before closing any store we always carry out a detailed review looking at the store's performance and ongoing investment requirements.

"Unfortunately we have concluded it is not sustainable to continue trading from the store in Castleford."

Last day to visit Castleford Marks & Spencer before its doors close for the last time