‘Online challenges have hurt M&S’ says Luton Mall owners

Following Tuesday’s annoucement that M&S was proposing to close its Luton branch and was consulting with the 77 staff members there, Capital and Regional released a statement giving its thoughts on the challenges faced by bricks and mortar retailers.

A Capital and Regional spokesman, said: “We are aware of M&S’s announcement today of the consultation with their Luton team on the potential closure of the Luton store.

“This is part of M&S’s ongoing national store rationalisation programme announced some time ago.

“We will be working closely with our Luton M&S colleagues to help them in whatever way we can.

“The retail sector is going through a well documented structural realignment brought about by the rise of online retailing.

“Once again this further highlights the fragility of Luton town centre and clearly reinforces why we are opposing out of town retail development at Junction 10 which would inevitably put even greater pressure on Luton town centre.”

C&R says it fully supports the application which is due to go before Luton Borough Council’s development control committee tonight (Wednesday) for the redevelopment of the Power Court site for a new stadium for Luton Town Football Club and says it has written to all committee members in support of the application.

But it remains opposed to the Newlands Park application being heard by Luton Borough Council on Wednesday, January 30.

Hatters say the Newlands Park retail/leisure/office scheme is needed to finance the cost of regenerating the Powerr Court site.