Call on retailers to take over empty M&S site

High street brands including Primark and The Range have been asked to consider opening in a former town centre M&S site which is to be auctioned next week.

James Pratt, a Conservative councillor on Cheshire East Council, has written to retailers asking them to consider taking over the unit and "put Crewe on their radar".

M&S left the unit on Market Street in 2017 to move to the Grand Junction Retail Park.

Crewe and Nantwich Labour MP Connor Naismith, who has raised the issue of the empty building in Parliament, said he welcomed the building being put up for auction.

Pratt said he was passionate about attracting new investment to Crewe and "shining a light on this key development site".

He said he had written to TJ Hughes because they had shops in places similar to Crewe, while residents have told him they would like Primark or The Range to come to the town.

"While inviting these retailers to meet to explore opportunities doesn't guarantee anything, it's important we put Crewe on their radar, and this unit is a prime chance to do just that," he said.

"Even if a national retailer doesn't take on the unit, there are still exciting options. The space could be divided into smaller, more affordable retail units, with potential homes above. This would be ideal for independent businesses and start-ups."

"We have to be positive, look forward, and seize opportunities when they arise."

Councils were given new powers to auction out leases for empty high street shops at the end of 2024, and Connor Naismith had called for Cheshire East Council to use that power for the site.

In January, he spoke in Parliament about his concerns about the town centre.

"For too long, we simply have not had the tools at a local level to tackle the irresponsible, absent landlords presiding over empty shop units," he said.

"For example, the old M&S unit is owned by an absent landlord who has left that crucial anchor unit in our town centre to go to rack and ruin."

He said he welcomed the news of the auction.

"I've raised several times in Parliament and at home the importance of this unit for Crewe town centre's potential for renewal," he said.

"We now need to see the unit move into ownership which will work in good faith with stakeholders across the town to see it brought into use for the benefit of all involved."

A Cheshire East Council spokesperson said: "We would welcome the chance to speak with any future owner about the building and the ongoing transformation of Crewe."

The site is to be auctioned on 17 July.

Read more Cheshire stories from the BBC and follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.