**Marks & Spencer to Transform 12 Former Homebase Stores into Expansive Food Halls Across UK**
Marks & Spencer (M&S) has unveiled ambitious plans to open 12 revamped food halls across the United Kingdom, taking over sites previously occupied by Homebase. This expansion will see M&S setting up some of its largest ever standalone food halls, as the company seeks to solidify its presence in the competitive supermarket sector. The move comes at a time when the retail giant is demonstrating renewed confidence and investment following robust financial performance and wider transformation efforts.
A significant portion of the new stores—totalling eight sites—will be ready for business by July 2026, with the first batch plotted to open their doors in Abingdon and Cannock by the end of this year. The new food halls, each boasting an average of around 18,000 to 22,000 square feet, will aim to provide shoppers with an elevated supermarket experience, introducing features such as coffee counters, in-store bakeries, and extensive frozen food options. Click & Collect services for online orders will also be a mainstay in the new format, reflecting M&S’s effort to blend in-person shopping with digital convenience.
Chief Executive Officer of M&S, Stuart Machin, commented on the expansion: “Investing in new and renewed stores is one of our key transformation priorities. Securing these highly desirable sites in priority locations will accelerate this strategy, drive further growth in our M&S food business and, most importantly, give our customers the best possible M&S shopping experience.” This approach echoes the retailer’s long-term commitment to revitalising its store estate and responding to shifts in shopping habits.
The retail landscape for home and food stores has seen major upheaval in recent years, particularly with Homebase’s administration in late 2025 after over four decades of trading. The collapse led to a flurry of acquisitions, with companies like B&Q, Wickes, and The Range snapping up vacant sites. M&S’s entry into several of these locations indicates both the desirability of these large-format suburban sites and the retailer’s appetite for expansion.
Job creation is another key outcome of this strategy, with the company asserting that the wave of new openings will support over 550 positions nationwide. This job boost will be welcomed by communities reeling from the closure of Homebase and facing an evolving retail environment.
In the broader context, M&S’s food-focused push follows a successful period for the business. Last year saw the retailer open six new Food stores and two “full-line” outlets, accompanied by refurbishments to nine existing locations. This period of investment delivered profits exceeding 20% above expectations, according to the company’s internal targets, reinforcing its strategy of channelling resources into its food offering.
Despite this, M&S’s journey has not been without challenges. In the past month, the company was affected by a significant cyber-attack which compromised some customer and order information, though M&S has confirmed that sensitive data such as passwords and credit card details were not affected. This cyber incident resulted in online orders being suspended for weeks, reportedly causing daily losses in the millions, although the website has since partially resumed functionality. At present, customers are able to browse and add items to their online baskets, but the checkout feature remains unavailable, with M&S providing no timeline for full restoration of services.
The full list of confirmed new store locations includes:
– **Abingdon:** 18,000 sq ft, opening late 2025
– **Cannock:** 18,000 sq ft, opening late 2025
– **Farnham:** 18,000 sq ft, opening spring 2026
– **Godalming:** 22,000 sq ft, opening summer 2026 (set to be the largest standalone M&S food store to date)
– **Northampton:** 16,000 sq ft, opening summer 2026
All new food hall plans remain subject to final planning permission and local regulatory approvals, a process that will likely shape the pace and success of the rollout.
As the retail sector contends with growing online shopping habits and shifting high street dynamics, M&S is making calculated moves to enhance its physical footprint and reimagine the supermarket experience for British consumers. The company’s efforts will be watched closely across the industry, as it seeks to illustrate the continued relevance and appeal of the shared shopping space.