Marks and Spencer's huge new Trafford Centre store opening date nears - and 180 jobs announced

Marks and Spencer has announced a major recruitment drive in Manchester as the opening date for its vast new Trafford Centre store fast approaches. The retailer is currently in the process of transforming the site of the former Debenhams at the Trafford Centre.

Shoppers will have noticed in recent weeks feverish activity at the Trafford Centre store - with hoardings now up with the M&S logos. Work is gathering pace inside the new department store which will feature clothing, home and beauty departments as well as a vast new food hall.

Bosses have now announced that more than 180 NEW jobs are being created in readiness for the new Regent Crescent store launch. Staff at the existing M&S inside the shopping mall will transfer over to the huge new site, but the jobs announced today are in addition to those existing roles.

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And the opening date for the M&S store is fast approaching. Bosses have confirmed they are looking at a "late November 2023" launch date for the store. It means shoppers can expect to get the first look of the new store just in time for the Christmas run-in. The new megastore will be 135,000 sq ft - dwarfing the size of the existing store which is 87,000 sq ft.

Jobs that will be going live this week for the new store include positions ranging from customer assistants and bakers to visual merchandisers and operations roles. There is a mix of full time and part time roles available.

A statement from M&S said today: "The brand-new M&S store in the renowned Trafford Centre is expected to open later this winter, and the local team is already