THE Marks & Spencer store in the Dolphin Centre, Poole will be closing in January, it has confirmed.

Jobs could be at risk as staff were told on Tuesday morning the store, which first opened in 1971, would close at the start of 2022.

Aaron Spicer, 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 our customers a brilliant shopping experience.

“As part of this transformation, we have today announced to colleagues our proposal to close our M&S Poole store at the Dolphin Shopping Centre in January 2022.

“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 for some and we would like to thank all our customers who have shopped with us in the store.

“We will be working hard to keep serving them in our nearby local stores – including our Broadstone and Westbourne Foodhalls where customers can also Click and Collect shopping from M&S.com and our Castlepoint store which offers a large range of M&S food and clothing and home products.”

John Grinnell, centre manager at the Dolphin Centre, said: “We are disappointed that M&S has made the decision to close at the centre, however this has opened up an opportunity for new retailers.

“This year has already been significant for the Dolphin Centre with the launch of KINGLAND and further investment being made in GATHER, our community events space.

"We have also introduced our vibrant street markets into the centre which champion the community’s independent retailers. 

“Additionally, we are working closely with BCP Council and the NHS to further develop our wider plans to reimagine the centre, to make it a future ready space.

"In the coming months, this will see us deliver a multitude of new environments that focus on adult skills, coworking, health and wellbeing.”

M&S also has branches in Weymouth town centre and at The Castlepoint.