M&S to Close 14 Cafes: The 2026 Restructuring Plan

Marks & Spencer is moving away from the traditional seated cafe model in some of its smaller food-only stores. The company has announced that these spaces will be repurposed to expand their Foodhalls, making room for more grocery products, takeaway coffee stations, and bakery counters.

While this is disappointing for fans of the sit-down M&S experience, the retailer has assured customers that no jobs will be lost, as all affected staff are being redeployed within the stores.

The Full List of 14 Affected Cafes

The following locations have either already closed or are scheduled to shut their cafe doors imminently in 2026:

1. Crawley, West Sussex
2. Dunblane, Stirling (Scotland)
3. Congleton (Barn Road), Cheshire
4. Stone, Staffordshire
5. Anlaby (Hull), East Riding of Yorkshire
6. Hull (Kingswood), East Riding of Yorkshire
7. Martlesham Heath, Ipswich
8. Bidston Moss, Merseyside
9. Bishop Auckland, County Durham
10. South Aylesford, Kent
11. Strood Retail Park, Kent
12. Whitstable, Kent
13. Canterbury (Maybrook), Kent
14. Sittingbourne Retail Park, Kent

Why Is This Happening?

M&S Regional Manager Katie Whelan explained that the move is driven by customer demand for a wider range of food products. By removing the seating areas, M&S can stock more “meal-for-tonight” options and fresh produce.

• Investment in Growth: Despite these closures, M&S is actually in a growth phase. They plan to expand their food-only store count to 420 by 2028.
• New Openings: In February 2025/2026, M&S opened several major new stores, including a flagship in Bath Southgate and a new food hall in Putney High Street.

FAQ: Everything Shoppers Need to Know

1. Are all M&S cafes closing? No. These 14 closures represent less than 4% of M&S’s total cafe locations. Large flagship stores and “Full Line” branches will continue to operate their traditional cafes.

2. What will happen to the staff? M&S has officially confirmed a “no redundancy” policy for this reshuffle. All cafe workers are being moved to other roles within the same store.

3. Will the 10% Senior Discount still apply elsewhere? Yes, the senior discount and the popular £4.50 kids’ menu will remain active at all other M&S cafe locations that are staying open.

Final Thoughts

The 2026 retail strategy for M&S is clearly focused on “Efficiency and Expansion.” While the loss of these 14 cafes marks the end of an era for local shoppers in places like Kent and Yorkshire, it signals a shift toward a faster, more grocery-dense shopping experience that competes directly with Waitrose and high-end discounters.