M&S to take over Ipswich Toys R Us at Copdock Interchange

The multi-million pound deal has been made with the owner of the Toys R Us building, the council-owned Ipswich Borough Assets (IBA), and is the first in the country to retain a town centre M&S presence.

Marks and Spencer is to take over the former Toys R Us site at Copdock. (Image: Charlotte Bond)

The new store is expected to open in the summer of 2027 and will be a totally new-build - Toys R us will be demolished and a new two-storey store built.

The new store will be 60,000 sq ft- slightly larger than the 50,000 sq ft department store in the town centre. It will sell food, clothes, household goods and include a cafe.

It is not quite as large as the company's 80,000 sq ft store at Stane Park on the outskirts of Colchester.

The ownership of the site is complex - IBA owns Toys R Us and a long lease on the site but the freehold is owned by Suffolk County Council.

As part of the deal M&S will buy the freehold and the leasehold to own the new store outright.

Across Britain M&S has been closing town centre stores and opening on edge of town retail parks - at Colchester among other places.

Ipswich town centre will retain an M&S once the new store has opened at Copdock. (Image: Paul Geater)

But it has signed and agreement with Ipswich council to retain a town centre presence for the next 10 years - it's the first deal of this kind that M&S has agreed in the UK.

The town centre store is likely to be smaller - a food hall with a click and collect facility - but any presence is seen as a real bonus for Ipswich.

The deal has been widely welcomed in the town - councillors and officials are delighted they have retained the store in the town centre for at least a decade.

As well as Colchester, Northampton, Swindon and Peterborough town centre M&S stores have closed over recent years as the company shifts its emphasis towards retail park units except in the biggest regional shopping centres in the country.

M&S has been successfully pursuing a policy of opening stores on retail parks over recent years - which has helped it bounce back on the financial markets.

The Simply Food store at Martlesham has been very successful and has expanded to meet increased demand.

And last year it announced plans to open another Simply Food Store in Stowmarket - just outside the main shopping area. 

M&S property director Will Smith said: “At the Copdock site, we have a unique opportunity to create a brand defining M&S store in Ipswich alongside our existing Westgate Street presence and grow our footprint across East Anglia.

"The show-stopping store, offering food, clothing and beauty, would be one of the most modern in the UK and create over 90 new jobs.

"We are confident that an M&S at Copdock Interchange would be a brilliant shopping destination and a fantastic investment in Ipswich and the local community.”

Labour councillor and chair of IBA Colin Kreidewolf was delighted that the deal had finally been signed.

Colin Kreidewolf was delighted that the deal had finally been signed. (Image: Charlotte Bond)

He said: “Ipswich Borough Assets acquired this site to protect Ipswich town centre and we’ve been successful in doing just that.

"The sale to M&S is coupled with the retailer retaining its Ipswich town centre presence giving residents the choice of town centre or out of town experience.”

Matthew Hicks responded to the news. (Image: Newsquest)

Suffolk County Council leader Matthew Hicks added: “We fully support this deal with M&S because it retains their long-standing presence in the town centre whilst also breathing new life into a very visible entrance to Ipswich that has lain vacant for so long.

"By selling this piece of land to M&S, Suffolk County Council will make the entire deal possible and bring in much-needed funding to support council services.”