M&S currently has more than 220 full-line and 310 Food stores across the UK, with a further 20 scheduled to open before the end of the financial year, creating around 800 new jobs.

The retailer has previously said it plans to expand its number of Food stores in the UK to around 420 by the end of 2028, but reduce the number of full-line stores to 180.

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Full list of locations in East Dorset and New Forest M&S is targeting for new stores

In addition to the 20 new openings this financial year, M&S has now revealed 500 locations across the UK it is targeting for new Food stores.

M&S said it is opening stores with “the right space in the right places” as it looks to double the size of its food business and modernise its store estate.

The retailer is looking to expand the size of its Food stores to “stock a fuller range and attract more customers to do their weekly shop”.

This follows the “excellent” performance of the new M&S Food stores that have opened in the last three years.

The four spots M&S is considering for East Dorset and the New Forest are:

Blandford Forum

Broadstone

Ferndown

Ringwood/Verwood

Other spots in the county that have been highlighted by M&S include North Dorchester and Lyme Regis/Axminster.

Managing Director of M&S Food, Alex Freudmann, said: “The strong performance of our new M&S food stores gives us the confidence to explore even more locations across the UK, from Elgin to Exmouth.

“With more than twenty stores opening or modernised before the end of the financial year, we are moving faster.

“Our team want new sites where we could open a large M&S Food store as we deliver on our strategy to bring the right stores to the right places and offer the best shopping experience, range and availability for our customers.”

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What M&S is looking for in a new store

M&S has outlined specific requirements it is looking for in these new UK stores:

Store size must be 21,500+ sqft

Located in a prominent and highly visible area

Dedicated car parking required (150+ spaces)

On major roads with easy access

Edge of centre or out of town

2+ acre site

Freehold (or leasehold considered)

Existing retail units considered

All of these stores would be in the new “renewal” format, featuring an extended range of M&S food, wider aisles for bigger shopping trolleys, and larger car parks for more family shoppers.

M&S also revealed it plans for over half of its existing shops, including convenience stores, to be in the new “renewal” format by April 2028.