ACTRESS Joanna Lumley will be the guest of honour when the UK’s second largest Marks & Spencer store opens at Cheshire Oaks next week.
The Absolutely Fabulous star will join M&S chief executive Marc Bolland, and Cheshire Oaks store manager Hilary Wilkinson to open the new store on Wednesday, August 29.
The 148,000sq ft store, which will be the country’s first to debut a new-look large format in its home department, has taken 550,000 man hours to build and will employ more than 500 staff members.
It is also the greenest store M&S has ever built. Using the latest in sustainable building technologies and practices, it is aiming to set a benchmark in environmental standards, including the use of carbon-absorbing hemp wall panels and specially engineered softwood timber in the entire roof and first floor.
And a free clothes recycling initiative, known as ‘Shwopping’, which aims to help reduce the 500,000 tonnes of clothing that go to landfill every year, has also been introduced, championed by Joanna Lumley. Customers will be encouraged to take a piece of unwanted clothing on each visit to Cheshire Oaks.
Other amenities at the store include a huge womenswear department, 70in HD television screens showcasing the latest fashions and one of the largest food halls of any M&S store in the world, featuring 7,000 ranges of quality foods.
Ahead of the store’s grand opening, staff have been working hard to add the final finishing touches to the launch day, which will feature a host of activities for customers, including chef demonstrations, stylist shows, personal shopping advice and children’s activities such as face-painting and a visit by Percy Pig and Colin the Caterpillar.
Store manager Hilary Wilkinson said: “This is an incredible store and nothing less than an equally incredible opening to mark this momentous occasion would do.
“Thanks to the help of Joanna, we’re adding a bit of stardust to the ribbon cutting.
“It’s been an amazing journey but we’re thrilled we’re nearly there and will soon show our customers the exciting things the whole team’s been working on over the last three years. I hope that they’ll feel that it was well worth the wait.”
The store officially opens at 10am on August 29. For more, visit www.marksandspencer.com.
