Marks and Spencer has announced plans to close one in four of its biggest stores due to a “difficult economic backdrop”.

As part of the five-year plan, the retailer is aiming to close just under 70 “full-line shops” leaving 180 of the current 247 by early 2028.

M&S will simultaneously be opening 104 new Simply Food outlets across the UK as the retailer moves towards groceries over large clothing and homeware stores.

Despite the plan spanning five years, M&S is aiming to complete the move within three years.

This comes after the retailer announced in May that it would close 32 stores as part of plans to move out of town centres that have "lost impetus".

It said a "high proportion but not all" of its stores would relocate to the edge of towns, to more "modern" and "well-located" sites.

There are currently 12 M&S locations in Norfolk.

  • Norwich, Rampant Horse Street
  • Mousehold BP garage, Mousehold Lane
  • Norwich, Sweet Briar, Simply Food
  • Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, WHSmith, Colney Lane
  • Gridserve Norwich, Broadlands Gate Business Park
  • Norwich, Longwater Foodhall
  • Acle Norwich BP, A47 roundabout, Acle bypass
  • Aylsham BP, A140 Burgh Road, Aylsham
  • Besthorpe BP, Attleborough bypass, Besthorpe
  • Lynn Hill BP, Yaxham Road, Dereham
  • Gapton Hall Foodhall, Gapton Hall Retail Park, Great Yarmouth
  • High Street, King's Lynn

M&S has not yet revealed which stores will be closing.