Where Are The New M&S Food Stores Opening In North Yorkshire?

If you love a good bit of retail news, this update is especially for you. Marks & Spencer is gearing up for a major expansion of its food business, and North Yorkshire is right in the middle of the action. The retailer has been reviewing maps, scouting locations and deciding which towns are ready for an M&S boost. For some communities, this could mean welcoming their very first M&S Foodhall.

According to the latest announcement on Saturday 29 November 2025, the plans form part of a much bigger national strategy to grow the M&S Food brand.

New M&S stores on the horizon

Picture this. Your town gets its very first M&S Foodhall. Suddenly, all the fresh bakery treats, ready meals, premium groceries and Percy Pigs are just minutes away. For two towns in North Yorkshire, that possibility is edging closer. Thirsk and Richmond appear on the retailer’s official target list, which highlights the locations where M&S would ideally like to open new branches.

Neither Thirsk nor Richmond has an M&S store at the moment, so a brand new foodhall would be a major development. New stores often bring more choice, new jobs and a bit of a buzz to local high streets. M&S has said its recently opened food stores have been performing extremely well, and this strong performance is the fuel behind the current expansion plans. It reflects a strategic push to bring the M&S food experience to more customers in places where the brand has no presence yet.

Upgrades for towns that already have a store

The plans do not stop at opening new locations. M&S is also looking at improving its presence in towns where it already operates. Some stores need more space, some need modernising and others need relocating to offer a better customer experience.

Four North Yorkshire locations are on that development list.

• Knaresborough
• Wetherby
• Northallerton
• Scarborough

For residents in these areas, this could mean an upgraded store with wider aisles, a larger bakery, more fresh produce, better availability and an expanded product range. The aim is to ensure each branch meets modern expectations and can stock the full selection of M&S Food products. The strategy is simple. Right stores, right places, right experience.

What is driving the expansion?

The retailer’s long term goal is to double the size of its food business. That is a huge ambition, and success in newly opened stores has shown the company that the demand is definitely there. The business has been open about the process. It is studying performance data from new foodhalls opened over the last three years and using that as evidence to guide further expansion.

In its own words, the company said it is increasing the number of locations being considered, including areas where an M&S presence does not yet exist. This highlights a careful and calculated approach based on proven results, not guesswork.

The customer experience at the centre

Alex Freudmann, Managing Director of M&S Food, offered more insight into the driving force behind the expansion. He said the excellent performance of recent openings is what gives the company confidence to explore new sites across the entire country, from Elgin to Exmouth.

He also confirmed that things are moving at pace, with more than twenty stores either opening or being modernised before the end of the financial year. His message was clear. The ambition is to bring the right store to the right location and provide customers with the best possible food shopping experience.

At the heart of this strategy are three key aims.

• A better shopping experience
• A stronger and broader food range
• Improved product availability

This approach places the customer front and centre. For people living near Thirsk, Richmond, Knaresborough, or Scarborough, these plans could soon become part of everyday life. M&S has also indicated it is open to hearing suggestions from the public about potential new locations, showing just how committed it is to getting this right.