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17
Dec 2021
Last Updated: 17/12/2021
200 people sign petition to save Harrogate M&S cafe
Signatories say the cafe is a meeting place for parents and children before and after school, as well as for older people, and urges the retailer to reconsider plans to close it as part of expansion plans for the site.
More than 200 people have signed a petition opposing the closure of the cafe in Marks & Spencer's store on Leeds Road, Harrogate.
The company wants to increase the size of its food hall at Oatlands by more than 70% and extend into the neighbouring Sofa.com retail unit.
But the plans would also see the closure of the cafe, which is a popular meeting point.
The petition, sent to the Stray Ferret by one of the signatories, says:
"There is such strong feeling about the cafe. Your customers really appreciate the service and feeling of community there. The staff are also so kind and friendly.
"The customers see it as a wonderful meeting place, a resource which is convenient for shopping and a place for parents and children to meet up before and after school.
"The elderly and lonely also find friendship in the cafe. Plus the food and drink is excellent! I really hope you will read all the comments and reconsider closing the cafe."
Read more:
- M&S gives sneak peek of expanded Harrogate Oatlands store
- Petition mooted over Marks & Spencer plans to close Harrogate Oatlands cafe
The petition has also been sent to Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough.
If M&S' plans are approved by Harrogate Borough Council, the expanded store will include an in-store bakery, wine shop, fill your own section to reduce waste and new decor throughout.
The retailer said in a statement:
“Our expansion plans at M&S Harrogate Oatlands are designed to deliver a bigger, better and fresher new-look food hall for shoppers and mark a significant investment in the local area.
“Whilst these plans involve closing the in-store café, they will allow us to transform the store to deliver the very best of M&S for our customers in Harrogate, with a bigger range of M&S food products than ever before.”
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