Shops / News
Bristol celebrates opening of new M&S
Excitement engulfed Cabot Circus as people gathered to celebrate the opening of Bristol’s newest Marks & Spencer on Thursday morning.
The department store’s multi-level outlet replaced what was previously House of Fraser, which shut down in August 2024.
Hundreds of people queued up ahead of the new site’s opening, with the first 100 customers getting free beauty goodie bags.
The new M&S in Cabot Circus is spread across three floors
Regional manager for M&S, Ali Ivery, said the team anticipated a decent crowd on the opening day, but not to this extent.
She told Bristol24/7: “Excitement has been building up and we were expecting a good queue, but to see that many people standing outside, waiting to come in and celebrate with us that we’re back in the city centre, we were absolutely blown away.”
Patricia, who lives near the SS Great Britain, said the new M&S was “absloutely lovely” and will give her a reason to visit Cabot Circus more often.
“When the last one went I didn’t come back to Cabot Circus, because there was nothing for me to come for,” she added. “So now this one’s open, I’m really happy.”
Jane and Alan, who live in the city centre, said it felt great to now “have a good food store back in the middle of Bristol”.
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The new shop, spread across three levels, offers a wide range of products including flowers, fruits and vegetables, beauty, clothing, kitchenware, and home decor.
An M&S was previously located in what is now the independent department store Sparks in Broadmead for nearly 70 years, before closing in October 2021.
The only other M&S department store is on the outskirts of Bristol in Cribbs, formerly known as The Mall, but there are several smaller M&S branches across the city.
All photos and videos: Karen Johnson
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