M&S Announces Closure of Four Cafes in Kent, Sparking Customer Disappointment

Marks and Spencer has revealed plans to close four of its cafes across Kent next month. The affected locations include South Aylesford Retail Park, Strood Retail Park, Prospect Retail Park in Whitstable, and Maybrook Retail Park in Canterbury. The company intends to repurpose these cafe spaces to expand its food product offerings within the stores themselves.

Andrew Icke, Regional Manager, explained to KentOnline: “We know many of our Kent customers want to shop a wider range of M&S Food. That’s why after reviewing our Strood, Whitstable, Maybrook, and Aylesford stores, we are re-purposing the cafe space in each to offer even more delicious products. We understand this will be disappointing news for some of our customers, however, our teams will continue working hard to serve them in-store.”

While M&S staff will transition to roles in the food halls, customers have expressed concern about the loss of the cafes. One shopper noted, “Most of their customers are older people who value having a café to sit down, take a break, and enjoy a snack. It also serves as a great way to showcase new food items — if you like them at the café, you can buy them in-store to take home.”

Others suggested that the closures might be due to limited usage or restricted opening hours, recommending that M&S consider extending cafe hours before shutting them down completely. Another customer drew parallels with bank closures, emphasizing the importance of accessible, in-person services for those who prefer not to go online.

As M&S transitions its cafe spaces, it faces the challenge of meeting customer needs while evolving its food retail strategy.