![\"M&S\u2019](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_MS-Whetstone.png\")
<\/p>\nMarks and Spencer is ‘aiming to double the size of its food business’ with several existing stores, including a flagship Oxford Street branch, getting big upgrades<\/p>\n
M&S\u2019 Whetstone food store which reopened in April(Image: M&S)<\/p>\n
Marks and Spencer has confirmed a further three new food stores will be opening in London in 2026, alongside major renewals to several existing shops. This comes, however, at the same time an “underperforming” M&S<\/a> Simply Food branch in a commuter town outside Croydon<\/a> and Sutton looks set to close.<\/p>\n A brand new M&S food store opened in Tooting Broadway on Wednesday (May 27) with another three still to come this year. The Mitcham Road branch marks M&S\u2019 return to Tooting after 18 years. The first of the next London openings will be on Tottenham Court Road in June.<\/p>\n M&S will also relocate from its existing Tottenham Court Road store to a brand new 45 per cent bigger location on Tuesday, June 9, moving closer to the London Underground<\/a> and Elizabeth line<\/a> station and featuring M&S\u2019 signature in-store bakery and coffee counter, offering barista-made takeaway drinks and speciality coffee, as well as a Mai sushi counter.<\/p>\n M&S\u2019 brand new Tooting Broadway store, which opened this week(Image: M&S)<\/p>\n New food stores at Bell Green Retail Park in Sydenham and Elephant and Castle at The Elephant Development will also follow later this year. The London openings combined are expected to create over 150 new jobs for Londoners.<\/p>\n A M&S spokesperson said the big name retailer is “aiming to double the size of its food business by growing its store footprint and expanding existing stores”. M&S is also set to transform a number of its existing London stores this financial year, including the upper two floors of its flagship Pantheon Oxford Street store, opposite Winsley Street, reopening in July with new menswear, kidswear, lingerie and home sections.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, work is already underway at M&S\u2019 Bankside store on Southwark<\/a> Street, also reopening July. M&S also renewed a number of stores across the capital last year including Chiswick<\/a> High Road, One New Change, Temple Fortune and Wimbledon.<\/p>\n Alex Freudmann, Managing Director of M&S Food: “In this new phase of our transformation, we are reinvesting for growth and in London that means opening new Food stores with the right range for families, commuters and local residents.”<\/p>\n While new openings are happening, M&S customers in Croydon and Sutton who venture over to Banstead may soon find the Simply Food branch in the nearby commuter town closed. The chain has announced it has made the ‘tough decision to propose the store closure’, as reported by sister site Surrey Live<\/a>, but M&S remains ‘keen’ on finding a bigger location to open a new shop in the area.<\/p>\n If the M&S Banstead store does close employees will be offered ‘alternative roles at M&S wherever possible'(Image: Chris Ratcliffe\/Bloomberg via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Jolita Erminaite, Regional Manager at M&S, said: \u201cOur UK-wide store rotation programme is all about offering the very best of M&S for our customers in-store. Sadly, as one of our smallest stores, we are not able to do that from our existing Banstead store and the store’s performance has not been where it needs to be.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have therefore made the tough decision to propose the store\u2019s closure. We remain keen to find a suitable, alternative bigger location at Banstead in future, as part of our continued investment across Surrey.<\/p>\n \u201cIf these proposals go ahead, we will offer colleagues alternative roles at M&S wherever possible and will continue working hard to serve customers at our nearby Epsom and Sutton<\/a> stores, both offering M&S Food and Fashion, Home and Beauty, and our Reigate foodhall.”<\/p>\n Banstead Simply Food is located on the High Street. The move comes at a time when M&S is expanding in Surrey. The high-street brand recently opened a Foodhall in Farnham and is set to open an even larger one in Godalming this summer.<\/p>\n Confirmed new M&SLondon openings and existing store upgrades<\/p>\n New food stores opening<\/p>\n Tooting Broadway \u2013 opened May 27Tottenham Court Road \u2013 opening June 9Bell Green Sydenham \u2013 September 2026Elephant and Castle \u2013 Autumn\/Winter 2026<\/p>\n Confirmed renewals so far<\/p>\n Whetstone \u2013 launched April 7Bankside \u2013 July 2026Pantheon Oxford Street \u2013 July 2026Richmond \u2013 Autumn\/Winter 2026<\/p>\n![\"M&S\u2019](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2_MS-Tooting-opening.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1_GettyImages-2212254336.jpg\")
<\/p>\n