LOW-COST clothing retailer Peacocks is poised to open a new store in Dewsbury – taking up premises left empty by the controversial departure of Marks & Spencer.
Peacocks, which already has a store at Victoria Lane in Huddersfield and others in Brighouse, Heckmondwike and Halifax, has submitted a planning application for the former M&S store in Northgate. It has also advertised for a manager and assistant manager to run the outlet.
The application calls for a new shopfront and internal alterations at the store to provide ground floor retail space and a stockroom and staff facilities on the first floor.
A decision on the plan has been delegated to Kirklees planning officers but is not expected before mid-March.
Peacocks, which has 460 stores UK-wide, is part of the Peacock Group, which also includes Grange Moor-based womenswear chain Bonmarché.
M&S confirmed last October that it was leaving Dewsbury in favour and moving to a new 20,000sq ft outlet at the White Rose Shopping Centre, near Leeds.
The move drew widespread criticism amid claims that the loss of such a major retailing name would undermine plans to regenerate the town.
Marks & Spencer argued that the company already has eight stores in a 16-mile radius of Dewsbury, including ones on New Street and the Piazza in Huddersfield and others in Wakefield, Bradford and Leeds city centre.
