Wates is set to grow its retail project portfolio with the appointment to deliver three large-scale fit-out contracts on behalf of Marks and Spencer (M&S) in Dundee, Uckfield, and Guildford.
With a combined area of over 80,000sq ft, the three contracts form part of M&S’s major investment to transform its estate in response to changing retail trends, a move that is set to create 3,400 jobs across the UK.
The largest of Wates’ contracts, in Dundee, will include the fit-out of a 52,467sq ft sales floor split across two levels to create a larger full-line store. This will replace the current M&S Foodhall at the Gallagher Retail Park – a project previously delivered by Wates.
Work on the new Dundee store will include the creation of a new Simply Food store and cafe as well as home and clothing departments, becoming one of eight new full-line M&S stores.
Alongside Dundee, Wates will also complete fit-out projects for two new Foodhalls in Uckfield in East Sussex, and at Guildford Ladymead Retail Park, both approximately 15,000sq ft, forming part of the retailer’s plans to expand its grocery trade.
The M&S Uckfield project starts this summer with completion scheduled in time for Christmas and M&S Guildford Ladymead Retail Park will begin in January next year. All three contracts will be delivered to a fast-tracked schedule in line with M&S’s three-year store transformation programme.
Each project is designed to bring more theatre to the shopping experience with new illuminated signage, bespoke wall finishes, new fridge cases and local wall messages. The projects will incorporate a range of energy efficiency measures to support M&S’s sustainability strategy.
These contracts build on Wates’ long relationship with M&S, which spans two decades and includes the delivery of nearly 300 fit-out projects across the UK.
This includes 50 projects through the retailer’s Foodhall Framework, established in 2014. Recent M&S projects delivered by Wates include the 25,440sq ft Foodhall at Bluewater, Kent and a full-line fit-out in Colchester.
Scott Camp, managing director of Wates fit-out and refurbishment business, said: “Retail trends are constantly evolving and working with M&S for the past 20 years, our business has seen how agile they are in their response to consumer needs. Understanding their strategy is absolutely vital to the work we do and enables us to not only bring their vision to life but do so at the pace required. We’re very proud to have worked across some of M&S’s flagship stores, and we look forward to making Dundee, Uckfield and Guildford as exceptional as all of our previous projects on behalf of M&S.”
