Wates Completes Major Fit-Out Project For M&S

Wates has completed a major retail fit-out project for Mark and Spencer's foodhall at its London Colney Store.

This makes it one of the largest foodhalls in the retailer's portfolio.

The sales floor has been reconfigured to relocate the existing foodhall to the front of the store. The expanded 32,000 sq ft space has made way for new tills and a range of new services, including new pizza oven, a Mai Sushi counter and a ‘Fill Your Own’ station to reduce plastic use.

New features also include a digital cafe that allows customers to order at the front of the restaurant. The project also saw the team relocate the opticians, add three sets of new fitting rooms and reconfigure the home, beauty and clothing sections to improve sightlines and enhance the store’s flow for customers.


The expansion project which began in June this year, forms part of M&S’s investment programme to diversify and transform its estate, including reinvigorated branding to give its stores a new look and feel.

At London Colney the team fast-tracked design and procurement while working to a 24/7 programme to ensure the expanded foodhall could be ready in time for the festive period.

Scott Camp, Managing Director, Wates Smartspace, said: "Having worked for Marks and Spencer on over 50 of their projects under the Foodhall Framework, our team has developed an unmatched understanding of their vision for the store fit-out projects. This positions us perfectly to deliver high quality projects efficiently, but it also enables us to overcome project challenges collaboratively. In partnership with M&S, we look at every detail of the projects and carefully consider ways to enhance customer journeys, and our team’s commitment to M&S’ retail experience is evident in the exceptional store we have helped to create here at London Colney."