M&S Tunbridge Wells Reopens After £4.1m Transformation

The Marks & Spencer store at Fountains Retail Park in Tunbridge Wells has officially reopened after a major three-month refurbishment - and it’s a completely different place.

The shop, which closed at the end of December, has undergone a £4.1 million transformation designed to modernise the space and bring it in line with M&S’s latest “market-style” food hall concept.

The biggest change is scale. The food hall is now around 60% larger, offering roughly 6,600 product lines, including an expanded range of fresh produce from M&S Select Farms.

Inside, the layout feels more like a high-end food market than a traditional supermarket. There’s more space, clearer sections, and a stronger focus on fresh and ready-to-eat food.

A big part of the upgrade is focused on experience, not just shopping.

Customers will now find:

• A new in-store bakery with bread and pastries baked throughout the day
• A coffee counter with baristas, serving takeaway coffees and iced drinks
• A standout cheese barge, offering everything from British artisan cheeses to French classics
• An upgraded frozen food section, with everything from seafood to desserts

It’s clearly aimed at making the store somewhere you actually want to spend time, not just grab groceries and leave.

There’s also a new dedicated Click & Collect point, making it quicker to pick up online orders for clothing, home, and beauty.

Practical updates haven’t been ignored either - new customer toilets have been added, something locals had previously complained about.

While the store was shut, around 70 staff were temporarily moved to nearby branches. The refurbishment itself was described in planning documents as a long-term investment to future-proof the store and keep it competitive with other supermarkets in the area.

Importantly, despite the expansion, no additional jobs have been created, and parking at the retail park remains unchanged.

The Tunbridge Wells relaunch is just one of more than 20 new or renewed M&S stores opening this year, as the company continues shifting towards larger, food-focused locations.

Store manager Lauren Gunn said ahead of reopening: We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to get the store ready, and we’re excited to welcome customers back inside.

This isn’t just a facelift. It’s M&S doubling down on food - better layout, more premium feel, and stronger competition with supermarkets and specialist food retailers.

For shoppers, the difference is simple: more choice, better quality, and a much nicer place to shop.