Marks & Spencer has closed its flagship store on St Nicholas Street in Aberdeen after 81 years, marking the end of an era in the Granite City and raising fresh concerns about the future of the high street. The store, which first opened in 1944, shut its doors earlier than expected. The company had initially planned to keep it open until summer 2025 but moved the closure forward without much public notice. Customers are now being redirected to the upgraded Union Square branch just over a mile away.
Luke Smith, M&S Aberdeen store manager, confirmed, “While we closed our St Nicholas Street location a little sooner than expected, our commitment to serving the Aberdeen community remains steadfast at our fantastic new Union Square store. Here, customers can continue to expect the great quality M&S is known for, alongside the trusted value they rely on.” The closure follows the loss of other major department stores in the city, including John Lewis and Debenhams, deepening fears over the long-term health of Aberdeen’s retail core.
The £15 million development is part of a broader £30 million investment plan for Scottish stores.
In a statement, the company said, “As one of the biggest private sector investments in Aberdeen for years, these plans include £15m for M&S Aberdeen Union Square – next year expanding to almost the double the size with a spacious fresh market-style food hall full of exciting new features including a beautiful flower shop, a cheese barge, larger in-store bakery and dedicated M&S Wine Shop as well as bigger clothing, home and beauty departments.”
All permanent staff from the St Nicholas Street store will transfer to the Union Square location or nearby stores, with no job losses expected.
Rachel Rankine, North East Regional Manager for M&S, added: “The scale of our investment is a vote of confidence in the future of retail in Aberdeen city centre, with a flagship store on the same scale as city centre stores in Birmingham and Liverpool.”
Despite this investment, the departure from the historic city centre building has prompted concern among local politicians.
Kevin Stewart MSP called for Aberdeen City Council to establish a task force to secure a new future for the site:
“Marks and Spencer has been at the heart of St Nicholas Street/Union Street for decades and many in Aberdeen, including myself, are saddened to hear that the store there will be closing down.”
Scottish Conservative MSP Liam Kerr also criticised the early closure: “It’s devastating that Marks & Spencer is to close its St Nicholas Street store and there is no doubt that this is a blow for the city… The closure will leave a huge void in Aberdeen city centre just two years after we lost John Lewis and Debenhams.”
Aberdeen City Council has been contacted for comment. As the city navigates post-pandemic recovery, the closure marks both a significant shift in retail strategy and a symbolic loss for a city centre already under pressure.