M&S to shut doors only six months after it opened

The M&S Food store at Crown Mead in Wimborne will close on April 26. 

Franchised by Jersey company, Sandpiper CI, the store opened last autumn to a fanfare with the town mayor, Christopher Brown, giving a speech on the much-anticipated new shop.

A spokesperson for Sandpiper Stores said: “We are disappointed to be closing the store on the 26th April.

"We know this will be sad news for some of our customers and we’d like to thank them, and the local community, for supporting and shopping with us.

"We are continuing discussions with our colleagues about what this decision means for them.”

As reported by the Echo, the store opened on October 12 with pupils of St John's CE VC First School attending along with Percy Pig himself.

Mayor Brown had called the shop 'a great addition to the town' and hoped it would help promote the area. 

Wimborne resident, Robert Reynolds, 87, said: "I come here every day, I know it's a very small shop but I'd be sad if it goes. 

"My wife was a manager at M&S until she retired so I've always shopped at it."

The store boasted fresh baked goods from its bakery, self-checkout and click-and-collect service. 

The reason behind closure has not been confirmed with several residents taking to social media to express confusion around it.

A resident from Poole who visits Wimborne regularly said: "My first question is what what was all that about then? Why did they buy it in the first place? 

"They don't make mistakes like that, that's been an intentional thing."

SandpiperCI has removed the store from its website and has taken down articles on the store's opening. 

Based in Jersey, the Wimborne store was the only M&S business owned outside the island. 

The company also franchises other large brands such as Burger King, Card Factory, Hotel Chocolat and Costa, mainly owning stores in the Channel Islands and Gibraltar.

The Echo has contacted SandpiperCI for further comment.