Marks and Spencer to close on Boxing Day to give staff the day off
Marks and Spencer has cancelled plans to open all of its stores on Boxing Day, choosing instead to allow staff to spend the day with friends and family.
M&S had previously planned to open 200 stores on Boxing Day to take advantage of the Boxing Day sales, but in light of the recent relaxation on coronavirus rules around Christmas, the chain decided to let staff have another day off.
M&S CEO Steve Rowe said: “2020 has been a uniquely challenging year for everyone and this Christmas, the celebrations we have, will be more precious than ever. That’s why in the run up to Christmas we are opening longer hours and have accelerated the launch of new digital services such as Sparks Book & Shop to help our customers prepare, but it’s also why we have taken the decision to close our operations on Boxing Day, so that our colleagues can enjoy more special time with their loved ones.
“This is a big decision, but it is absolutely the right one given the incredible effort everyone has made in the most challenging of circumstances.”
The chain’s customer contact centre will also be closed on Boxing Day, along with its distribution centre in Castle Donington.
Earlier this month M&S posted its first loss in its 94 years as a publicly listed company as clothing sales collapsed due to the coronavirus crisis.
The high street stalwart reported a £87m pre-tax loss for the first half of the year. During the same period last year it made a profit of £158.8m.
In the summer the retailer cut 950 as part of a ‘transformation plan’. The brand is aiming to become more “digitally focused” as it seeks to keep up with consumer demand for online shopping