Letter: A travesty for town if Marks and Spencer shop was to close

It would be a travesty if Scarborough lost its Marks & Spencer store.
The loss of the Marks and Spencer store in Scarborough would be a travesty for the town centre.The loss of the Marks and Spencer store in Scarborough would be a travesty for the town centre.
The loss of the Marks and Spencer store in Scarborough would be a travesty for the town centre.

However, I was surprised that Scarborough Council’s investment manager stated that when he came to the town he was surprised to see such a retailer present in such a ‘small seaside town’.

I would never describe Scarborough as a small town.

North Yorkshire boasts 29 towns and there are 12 towns in East Yorkshire. With a population of 61,000, according to the 2011 census, Scarborough is the second largest of these 41 towns after Harrogate.

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Scarborough is also larger than dozens of British cities, including Canterbury, Durham and Winchester.

Marks & Spencer traditionally aimed for a department store in towns with a population over 20,000 and on the Yorkshire coast also had stores in Bridlington which is still trading, and Redcar.

Even Goole with a population of just 18,000 once had a Marks & Spencer department store.

Hopefully the M&S store will survive in its current format.

But whatever the plans for the town’s store any decision can be perhaps be swayed by increased sales.

DR EdwardsNewborough StreetBoothamYork