FASHION firm M&Co is to open up to 75 new stores over the next five years.
The expansion plan comes after the Renfrewshire-based retailer, which has 3,500 staff and almost 300 branches, posted increased annual profits of £6 million in the year to February, with annual sales at £165.6m.
Chief executive Andy McGeoch said: “Our core strategy of taking prime positions in market towns continues. Our first half results, in the current financial year, are showing further positive progress in like-for-like sales. We are actively seeking further expansion and are planning to open a further 60 to 75 new stores across the UK by 2022.
“So far this financial year we have opened new stores in Essex, Yorkshire and Wales.
“We are keen to further expand our store portfolio and are targeting 12 to 15 new stores per year for the next five years as there are a number of towns in which we are currently unrepresented where we believe our format would be successful.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here