Marks and Spencer has reaffirmed its commitment to opening a second Kirkcaldy store.
The retail giant revealed to The Courier earlier this year that it was intending to open a Simply Food store at the Fife Central Retail Park a move that would create around 50 jobs.
The company had earmarked the unit occupied by Next, which has since moved into a new, larger store just metres away.
With its preferred location now vacant, Marks and Spencer has confirmed that it is continuing to press ahead with its plans at the site although no major announcements were due at the time.
A spokesperson for the company said that the new store was still “at the planning stage”, with a formal application now likely to be submitted early in the new year.
Marks and Spencer has previously stated that its proposed new outlet would not jeopardise the future of its store on Kirkcaldy’s High Street.
Previously, Chris Smith, from M&S Simply Food, said: “Simply Food serves a different audience, who come shopping at a different time and for different products to our High Street stores.
“That is why it is so important for us to also retain our High Street presence in Kirkcaldy.”
