Multi Million Pound M&S Food Hall Planned For Workington With 20 New Jobs
Plans have been unveiled for a major new M&S food hall in Workington, representing a multi million pound investment and creating 20 jobs.
Development partner Kingmoor Park Properties is expected to submit a planning application to Cumberland Council for the proposed store this week. The 18,000 sq ft food hall is planned for a site off Derwent Drive and, if planning permission is granted, is expected to open in autumn 2028. The development is intended to secure the retailer’s long term presence in Workington while providing a larger store designed around the needs of customers completing their weekly shopping.
The proposed development would replace the existing food hall currently operating as part of the M&S store on Pow Street. Staff working at the existing food hall would transfer to the new premises once the proposed store opens. The plans therefore include continuity for the existing workforce while providing a substantially larger retail space. The development is expected to create 20 jobs, adding further employment opportunities alongside the roles transferring from the current Workington operation.
The new food hall would offer more than 6,600 products across its retail space, providing a broader shopping environment for customers. Plans include an in store bakery as well as dedicated flower and wine sections, giving the proposed store a range of specialist areas alongside its main food offering. A click and collect point would also form part of the development, providing customers with another option for collecting purchases from the new Workington site.
Food supplied through the proposed store would also have a strong connection with the local agricultural sector. M&S said produce would be supplied by more than 90 farm partners based in Cumbria. The involvement of local producers would give the new food hall a direct link with businesses across the county, while the larger premises would provide space for a wide range of products. The plans therefore combine a major retail investment with continued links to Cumbrian suppliers.
The proposed site would also include free on site car parking for customers, alongside electric vehicle charging points. These facilities form part of the wider development plans for the new food hall and are intended to support access to the store. The combination of parking and charging infrastructure would be provided as part of the proposed development off Derwent Drive, subject to the planning process and any conditions that may be attached if permission is granted.
M&S regional manager Rob Slone said the company was excited about the proposed investment and described the plans as an important step in securing its long term future in Workington. He said the business had been looking for a suitable site where it could create a larger store capable of meeting the requirements of customers carrying out their weekly shop. The proposed development is therefore intended to provide more space and a modernised shopping environment compared with the existing food hall.
Slone said the proposed Workington store would be the company’s most modern store in Cumbria and would rank among its most modern locations across the UK. He said the development would focus on the retailer’s established offer of quality and value while providing what he described as the M&S shopping experience. The company also said it looked forward to working with the local community as the plans progress through the planning process and further details of the development emerge.
The planning application is being progressed by Kingmoor Park Properties, which is acting as development partner on the project. Managing director Neil McIntyre said the company was pleased to be working on the scheme and helping to bring a new M&S store to Workington. He described securing the retailer as a significant indication of confidence in Workington and West Cumbria, while highlighting the potential investment and employment opportunities associated with the proposed development.
McIntyre also said the project could further strengthen Workington’s retail offer by bringing a major national retailer to the proposed development site. He said the company was particularly proud to be involved as a Cumbrian business and had worked closely with M&S and the wider project team to bring the proposals to their current stage. The submission of the planning application represents the next stage in the process, with the development still subject to consideration by the local authority.
The proposed store would be located off Derwent Drive, providing M&S with a larger purpose built site than its existing food hall on Pow Street. The move would allow the retailer to expand its food operation while retaining its existing workforce through the planned transfer of staff. The proposed 18,000 sq ft premises would also accommodate the additional features outlined in the plans, including the bakery, flower and wine sections, click and collect facilities, customer parking and electric vehicle charging points.
The project is expected to have wider employment implications for Workington, with 20 new jobs planned alongside the transfer of employees from the existing food hall. The development partner has also highlighted the investment associated with attracting a major retailer to the town and the potential to strengthen the local retail offer. The proposed store would provide a significantly expanded M&S food operation while maintaining a presence for the retailer in the town through the transition from Pow Street.
The involvement of more than 90 Cumbrian farm partners is another feature of the proposed food hall. M&S said produce would be supplied through those local agricultural businesses, creating a direct connection between the new store and producers across the county. Alongside the planned range of more than 6,600 products, the local supply network would form part of the food offer available to customers when the proposed store opens, provided the development receives the necessary planning approval.
The development remains at the planning stage, with Kingmoor Park Properties due to submit the application to Cumberland Council. The proposed opening date is autumn 2028 if the plans are approved and the project progresses as intended. Until the planning process has been completed, the final details of the scheme remain subject to consideration by the council. M&S and its development partner are expected to continue progressing the proposals as they move through the relevant stages.
The announcement marks a proposed new chapter for M&S in Workington, with the retailer seeking to move from its existing Pow Street food hall into a substantially larger premises. The new store would combine a wider product range with dedicated food and retail sections, click and collect facilities and customer parking. It would also maintain links with Cumbrian producers through supplies from more than 90 farm partners, while creating 20 additional employment opportunities as part of the wider investment.
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