FIFTEEN months after the closure of a popular retailer in Colchester’s High Street, the store has been boarded up and put up for sale.

The last remains of the Marks and Spencer department store in the middle of High Street have been removed. 

After the closure in September last year, the iconic shop, which had been a major part of the city centre for 90 years, only posters remained, leaving space for speculation. 

A spokesman for M&S implied that there was no intention of the chain returning to its former home due to the popularity of the newly built location in Stane Park. 

Gazette:

Ownership of the city centre location is not straightforward as the property reaches from High Street onto Lion Walk, which is owned by the Lion Walk Shopping Precinct. 

With business rates of £23,000 per month, it seemed only a matter of time before the food retailer would be keen to move the store on. 

Residents of Colchester saw the closure of the retailer as a huge loss for High Street.

Colchester High Steward Sir Bob Russel said: “This store was not losing money.

"Its closure has robbed the city centre of a prime retail outlet, abandoning a huge amount of loyal customers – and now we have the eyesore of black boards where once there was a bustling store with welcoming windows.” 

Sir Bob added: “It is costing M&S many thousands of pounds in paying business rates on their empty store, plus rent to the owners of the Lion Walk Shopping Centre for the rear section of the store which falls within the Lion Walk Centre built nearly 50 years ago when M&S extended to the rear of their original 1930s High Street building. 

“They are also having to pay building insurance and other costs. 

“It would perhaps make more financial sense if they were to re-open this store as well as keep their new store at the soul-less Stane Park at Stanway.”

According to the signage on the store, the retail space will be sold or let by McMullen Real Estate, which specialises in retail units.

McMullen had not responded at the time of going to press.