AN empty Marks and Spencer unit could be brought back to life soon as the retail giant revealed it’s in advanced talks with a potential occupier.

Marks and Spencer closed its Birkenhead store in the Pyramids Shopping Centre in 2018.

That former Marks and Spencer store has remained largely vacant since, though it was briefly in use an art gallery earlier this year. According to a property portfolio of the shopping centre's done in 2023, the company’s lease is due to expire in 2042 and they pay rent of £235,000 a year.

The future of Birkenhead’s Marks and Spencer has been up for debate recently after a Birkenhead Market trader put forward plans to turn the empty unit into an alternative market to run alongside Wirral Council’s plans for a new market in Argos. The Argos proposal has proven unpopular with traders who feel it will resemble more of a food court than a traditional market.

However, Marks and Spencers told the LDRS they were no longer able to move forward with any sub-lease related to a market. An M&S Spokesperson said: “We have been working hard to find an alternative occupier for the site and have been open to approaches throughout. We are now in advanced negotiations with a potential occupier and hope to be able to share more news shortly.”

The store is located off St Johns Square in the Grange Precinct which is reportedly a busier part of the town centre. When Wirral Council explored the option for a new market there in 2019, the idea was “generally popular with traders” but the cost was considered to be too great as Marks and Spencer would have to surrender their lease.

After the council bought the shopping centres, this option was due to be reviewed but Marks and Spencer had agreed to sublet the unit for two years to an art gallery, though this later changed. Earlier this year, an email to a Birkenhead Market trader said Marks and Spencer were happy to let a new Birkenhead Market be run from the premises subject to terms and conditions being agreed.

Off the back of this email, Alan Featherstone, who runs a florist in the market, applied for a licence that would allow him to operate a market in the borough. The licence has been delayed for months with a hearing date set for October 11 but the lack of an agreement with M&S will likely be a blow to the plans.

On July 26, Wirral Council’s director of regeneration Marcus Shaw sent a letter to Mr Featherstone asking him to drop the plans after M&S told the council they did not plan to move forward with a market. He said: “A pre-requisite for the viability of your application will clearly be that of obtaining a sub lease from the leaseholder Marks and Spencer of the relevant premises.

“I have been informed by Lucy Cousins, estate manager of Marks and Spencers that they do not intend to proceed with a sub lease to you and it therefore appears that the property is not available for your proposed market.

“Any market rights licence that might be granted is particular to the premises to which it relates and is not transferable. The lack of consent from Marks and Spencers to your sub-letting proposal is clearly a factor that members of the Licensing Panel would be bound to take into account in consideration of the merits of your proposal, if you were to proceed with the application. In the circumstances, there seems little point in you proceeding with the application.

“I therefore invite you to withdraw your application for a market rights licence. I would also be grateful if you could inform me in the event that you find an alternative location for your proposed market so that we can discuss any revised proposals that you might have for your market.”

The Argos is still proving unpopular with traders, with some fearing they will not be able to trade in the new market as the planned trading space would be reduced to 400 square metres. When concerns were raised about this at a recent meeting, Cllr Tony Jones said the council was engaging with traders’ appetite for the new market plans.

He added: “Unlike other redevelopments of markets, the council also has ownership of a number of retail units in the area and has also sought traders’ views on whether they wish to engage with the council’s agent managing the retail core area of Birkenhead with a view of trading in a retail unit.”

Despite the setback, Mr Featherstone is still planning to put his application forward claiming 50 town centre businesses were positive about his plans. He told the LDRS: “As a positive businessman, I know deals aren’t finalised until they’re signed off. It’s been frustrating that the application has been delayed but I’m still hopeful that the council may yet offer genuine support to their successful and loyal tenants that constitute our community.”