Marks & Spencer has finally opened its flagship store on Oxford Street following a years-long dispute over planning permission that resulted in legal action against the government.
The retail giant hopes the new Pantheon store, which spans four floors and almost 100,000 square feet, will be one of the most popular shopping destinations in London.
Its long-awaited opening comes after former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner granted approval to redevelop the art deco building in 2024.
M&S chief executive Stuart Machin said: “In 2019, we built the blueprint to modernise our food business, with a new food format designed to capture the soul of a fresh market. We started at Clapham St John’s Road and have renewed 160 of our food stores since then, including here at Pantheon. Now we’re taking that same approach into fashion, home and beauty.
“Pantheon on Oxford Street, where we’ve had a store since 1938, is our first full-line flagship and our research and development store for fashion, home and beauty. It’s where we’re testing how we make shopping our ranges easier, more curated and more inspiring, from clearer product moments to how the store looks and feels overall.
“We’ve still got a lot to do modernising our estate, with 25 years of catching up to do. But Pantheon is a big step forward.”
M&S had initially applied to Westminster City Council for permission to demolish part of the building for redevelopment in 2021, but after court cases and opposition from heritage and sustainability experts, then-housing secretary Michael Gove stepped in and refused the application in July 2023.
M&S then took legal action against the government in the High Court, where the judge ruled that the government had made a series of flawed decisions in blocking the plans.
The new store is one of six that M&S is renewing in London this financial year, alongside four brand new stores.
While parts of the store have remained open during the redevelopment, the remaining two upper floors are being unveiled on Monday and will include menswear, kidswear, lingerie and home collections.
It also includes a new bespoke suiting offer, where customers can get a made-to-order suit in-store.
More than 100 guests, including M&S ambassadors, joined Mr Machin and members of M&S’ leadership team for a preview of the store on Sunday evening.
