In pictures: M&S opens new concept store in Stevenage

// M&S has opened a new concept store at the Roaring Meg retail park in Stevenage

// The store features clothing, a marketplace-style foodhall with ‘Fill Your Own’ stations, a beauty department, an opticians and a 174-seat cafe

M&S opened a new concept store in the former Debenhams ‘store of the future’ at the Roaring Meg retail park in Stevenage on Thursday.

The 75,000 sq ft M&S store spans two floors and houses clothing, food, kidswear, a beauty department, an opticians and a 174-seat cafe.

The foodhall follows M&S’s new marketplace-design and includes ‘Fill Your Own’ stations. The retailer said the store would bring a “bigger, better, fresher shopping experience”.

M&S' clothing department is very light, bright and spacious — M&S’ clothing department is very light, bright and spacious

M&S Stevenage denim department — The store has an impressive denim department

M&S Stevenage Goodmove — Athleisure brand Goodmove, which is now M&S largest in-house brand, has a dedicated section in store

M&S Stevenage foodhall — The foodhall is designed to look like a marketplace

M&S Stevenage wine

The shop also has plenty of checkouts for speedy service, a mobile Scan & Shop option, which is available via the M&S App, and a click-and-collect service.

M&S Stevenage scan and shop — Technology such as Scan & Shop has been brought into store

Store design expert John Ryan, editor of Newstores, was impressed by the store. He said: “This really does look like a large slice of a possible way forward for the retailer, particularly as regards clothing and home.

“What marks this out both as a store of the future and as different from almost any other branch that might be mentioned is that it feels like one enterprise.”

“If Marks & Spencer can draw lessons quickly from what has been done here and take it elsewhere, its clothing and home will be in with a real fighting chance.”