By Hannah Ahmed

Copyright birminghammail

Marks & Spencer’s Wolverhampton has officially closed after nearly 100 years on the high street. Customers were left gutted after the company’s decided to shut down the Dudley Street store on Saturday, September 27, which was home to not only the traditional clothing section, but a popular food hall and café. This comes at the high street continues to take a hit, with M&S Wolverhampton the latest in a number of closures to face the city over the years. Beatties, once a popular department store many will remember fondly, was just one to have waved goodbye to shoppers in the last decade, while fellow shop, BHS, suffered the same fate. READ MORE: M&S announces exact date 100-year-old flagship store will close for good Bosses confirmed the location would be closing earlier this year, after the brand revealed the store had been performing “less well for a long period of time.” The closure came due to the effects of the Covid pandemic, from which the shop “never fully recovered.” M&S regional manager, Calum Telford, said at the time : “Our UK-wide store rotation programme is all about reshaping for growth and making sure every M&S store delivers the best possible shopping experience for our customers. “That’s why we have made the tough decision to propose the closure of our Dudley Street store. “Sadly, the store has been performing less well for a long period of time and has never fully recovered from the Covid pandemic.” Regarding the future of M&S in Wolverhampton, Mr Telford also said the company were working with Wolverhampton City Council to find a “suitable alternative food location.” He said previously: “I would like to say a massive thanks to all our customers who have shopped with us over the years and our colleagues, past and present, who have contributed to the store. “We have a proud history in Wolverhampton and are working with the city council to find a suitable alternative food location. “This is part of our wider investment into the Black Country, including modernising our Merry Hill store, and we will keep the local community updated.” READ MORE: Greggs to open first ever pub in major UK city Mr Telford added: “In the meantime, conversations are continuing with our store colleagues and we will offer them alternative roles at M&S wherever possible.” Plans to close the store even caused residents to take action, with a petition raised gaining over 700 signatures. Despite this, the shop has still sadly closed. Many have reflected on the loss which Wolverhampton has faced, with one resident, Richard Corry, writing on X: “M&S closed in Wolverhampton today. You couldn’t imagine that happening. Beatties, Banks’ Brewery, Goodyears, BHS, WHSmith, to name a few, have all ceased to exist. “I know times change, but I scarcely recognised it today, when I went there, which is rare I go anyway. Sad business.” Sisters Barbara Pugh, 69, and Danuta Prior, 75, also shared their devastation at the store closure on the M&S branch’s final day of trading, telling the Express and Star : “We’ve come here ever since we were little with our mothers, buying clothes and food, and it is an absolutely fabulous shop and it is going to be such a shame for it to go from Wolverhampton.” Barbara added: “The staff have been marvellous and anything you wanted, they would look for you, and when British Home Stores went, that was a loss, but with Marks and Spencer going, Wolverhampton is gone. “We just wanted to come here today to speak to the staff and say goodbye to them.”