I’ll confess that M&S shouldn’t be often my go-to for the massive store. As an alternative, I reserve it for what they do greatest: a choosy bits tea, one of the best small bottles of wine you’ll be able to drink on a practice, and, now I’m in my thirties, the occasional wardrobe improve.
Nevertheless, upon studying that I used to be now residing 10 minutes away from the North’s largest M&S retailer, positioned at Cheshire Oaks, I felt it was important to test it out.
Earlier than you Londoners protest, sure, there’s technically a much bigger M&S in Marble Arch. Nevertheless, this northern providing is the biggest M&S has ever constructed from scratch (and moreover, plans are at present in movement to redevelop the one within the capital). It additionally has the lofty title of ‘second greatest M&S on the earth’.
As I ventured to the mammoth store, roughly the scale of 11 Olympic swimming swimming pools, I had some questions.
What might such vastness encapsulate? Wardrobes you may discover Narnia in? Or simply row after row of padded gilets?
Because it seems, it held various surprises. Right here’s how I received on.
Attending to M&S Cheshire Oaks
Cheshire Oaks is positioned off of Stanney Woods Avenue, Goodwood Sq., Ellesmere Port (CH65 9GZ).
In the event you’re driving, it’s very troublesome to overlook, nevertheless it’s positioned proper by the turnoff for The Blue Planet Aquarium, and in addition very close to the Chester Porsche Centre and Audi Storage. Following the indicators for the Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet from any of the close by main roads ought to get you shut sufficient.
When it comes to public transportation, the closest practice stations are both Chester or Ellesmere Port, each of which require a brief bus or taxi journey.
From Chester to Cheshire Oaks, the 1 or X1 bus stops on the outlet, or it prices round £10-£12 in an Uber.
Arriving at M&S Cheshire Oaks
Not like my go to to the UK’s greatest Tesco, the scale of this M&S retailer actually does hit you sq. within the face — as does the truth that it’s environmentally pleasant.
There are nods to the truth that that is M&S’s greenest retailer all over the place. From small particulars, such because the ‘welcome to your eco retailer’ signal and the ‘gabion’ partitions, to the small ‘wild meadows’ that encourage bugs and wildlife, and the huge ‘inexperienced wall’ lined in crops that flanks the two-storey automobile park.
And as quickly as you stroll by means of the doorways, the sheer quantity of selection on supply units it aside.
Downstairs, you’ll discover Ladies’s Put on (together with Lingerie, Hosiery, and Magnificence), whereas upstairs, it’s Males’s Put on, Child’s put on, Baggage, and the Residence part.
There’s additionally an unlimited magnificence corridor that will rival your native Boots, with manufacturers together with Profit and Estee Lauder, plus a meals corridor that’s virtually its personal grocery store.
The shop has a mammouth 148,000 sq ft of promoting area, and every part occupied the identical flooring area I think about a neighborhood M&S retailer may want by itself, with a whole bunch of things from M&S ranges like Autograph, Per Una and Goodmove. It took one minute and 35 seconds to do the 132 steps from one aspect of the shop to the opposite (sure, I timed it).
A ‘shopping center’ in M&S
M&S claims this department has the ‘most intensive vary of M&S merchandise’, however the retailer additionally had so many concessions that it virtually felt like its personal mall. You’ll additionally discover rails of clothes from White Stuff, Seasalt and Jaeger.
Between the concessions and the M&S inventory, the choice was fairly mindblowing.
With out wishing to sound too a lot like Alan Partridge, one among my greatest gripes is that I can by no means discover footwear in my dimension — a curse bestowed upon these of us with large toes. Not so at Cheshire Oaks. Dimension 12s proved ample.
The house part additionally featured the M&S x Fired Earth part — a collab that’s apparently out there in restricted shops throughout the nation. And since my go to, the department’s TikTok reveals a enjoyable number of Christmas decorations have landed – together with baubles formed like M&S crisps.
Full disclosure: my M&S go to was timed forward of the arrival of my firstborn, so I had a vested curiosity in researching M&S’s choices for infants.
Upstairs at M&S Cheshire Oaks, there’s a big Mamas & Papas concession that (on the time of my go to) was holding its ‘Huge Little Occasion’ with many objects as much as 50% off, and nonetheless frequently holds gross sales.
From sleep fits and blankets to cute toys and baby-related devices, the concession proved to be effectively price a glance, as did searching for recommendation from the pleasant, approachable, and educated workers.
Not solely do they inventory smaller objects, however additionally they supply a variety of prams, together with a tool I had but to see in my baby-related buying — a small test-drive ramp with varied bits of mock terrain.
Whereas that is likely to be normal in massive Mamas and Papas shops, it was undoubtedly the primary time I’d ever seen one in an M&S.
Outdoors of the Mamas and Papas concession, M&S additionally has its personal intensive child garments line at M&S Cheshire Oaks, which means that everything of what I’m terming the ‘north wing’ of the shop’s higher degree is given over to children and child objects.
Consuming at M&S Cheshire Oaks
After all of the buying, I had constructed up fairly an urge for food, so I visited one of many two cafes positioned on both flooring of M&S Cheshire Oaks.
Mixed, they reportedly seat a whopping 430 folks – a fairly large quantity contemplating different M&S cafes are at present shutting their doorways.
I went to the top-floor cafe, which might be the bigger of the 2 and takes up an excellent portion of what I’m terming the ‘south wing’ of the positioning… which is probably not solely geographically correct.
The menu itself appeared fairly good – a mix of cafe classics, mild lunches and a tempting, tradional all-day breakfast (£9.95).
If that doesn’t hit the spot, then you may go for the pesto eggs, with haloumi and asparagus (£9.95), a ‘berry bliss’ granola bowl (£4.95) and even pancake stacks (£6.00).
It being the morning, I opted for one of many ciabattas – mature cheddar omelette with tomato and chilli chutney, accompanied by their limited-edition ‘Kenyan mix’ flat white espresso. Maybe a tad dear at £6.30, however not too dangerous, all issues thought of, and it was really actually tasty.
If I’d stayed for lunch, I might have opted for ‘Gastropub’ fish and chips (£11.95), jacket potatoes (round £6 – £7), a number of soups (£5.50 – £6.50) or some sizzling sandwiches (£7.50).
The new drinks listing additionally had a few quirky new choices that included a Lion’s Mane latte (£4.00), Iced wild strawberry matcha (£4.25), a peaches and cream Iced latte (£4.10), and an Eton Mess milkshake (£4.25).
The flowery tracker system for getting your order to you additionally struck me as distinctive, as you’re given a pad upon ordering to position down on any desk you want, and your meals might be delivered to you: no buzzing, shouting, or holding up numbers.
After some extra buying, it was time to take a look at what is likely to be a spotlight of most journeys to a Marks & Spencer: a go to to the meals corridor.
In all honesty, as first impressions go, the meals corridor at M&S Cheshire Oaks didn’t strike me as that large.
It’s robust to make estimates, however I’ve undoubtedly been in M&S shops with a meals corridor of comparable or comparable dimension.
Upon getting into, on to your proper is the recent deli counter, that includes freshly made baguettes, salads, wraps, smoothies, and extra. Proper subsequent to it, you even have a fairly sizable Mai Sushi concession, with issues like Miso Soup (£1.60), Sushi Kits (£4.50) and different Japanese treats.
Each of those additionally characteristic in different bigger M&S shops, however they undoubtedly made for a welcome addition at this one.
Everybody at all times talks up Lidl’s bakery providing, and justifiably so. Nevertheless, the bakery at M&S Cheshire Oaks additionally deserves an honourable point out, with a fairly intensive number of recent pastries and breads.
When you had a number of the extra conventional choices like ache au chocolat (£1.25), cinnamon buns (£1.85), and chocolate and lemon drizzle muffins (£1.50), a number of the extra uncommon standouts for me included the strawberry merengue cloud (£2), the birthday yumnut (£1.85), and an apricot and madagascan vanilla croissant (£2.65).
What did I purchase from the UK’s greatest M&S?
Taking full benefit of the Mamas & Papas sale, I managed to safe a ‘Wildly Adventures’ zero to 6 months sleep bag (2.5 tog for our winter child) on the discount worth of £17.50 (50% off its £35 RRP).
Whereas I believe my toddler will develop out of them in a few week (in the event that they even match in any respect), I additionally couldn’t resist a set of the Bear Booties for newborns – simply £6, after the 25% sale low cost was utilized (£8 RRP).
Unable to depart M&S with out buying one thing for lunch, I additionally took benefit of the recent deli’s ‘lunch deal’ and received myself a Peri Peri rooster wrap with pickle slaw, together with a smoothie constituted of mango, pineapple, and passionfruit.
Whereas this may not have reached the budgetary heights of after I managed to beat the Tesco Meal Deal, I believed the £6.50 supply was really fairly truthful for what I received, which proved actually tasty.
Staying true to my ‘choosy bits’ declare, I additionally snapped up a mini grazing snack pack with Napoli salami, cheddar cheese, and mini bruschetta for simply £2.60
How one can get M&S merchandise for much less
After our journey to M&S Cheshire Oaks, I put my native information to make use of and made the 10-minute stroll throughout to the Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet to take a look at what was on supply on the M&S Outlet Retailer there.
Whereas the choice there’s undoubtedly far, far lower than its sister retailer throughout the street, there have been undoubtedly a couple of bargains available at lowered costs.
Some highlights included Slim-fit M&S chinos, which have been down from an authentic worth of £35 to simply £8.75 and £12 respectively, and footwear priced as little as £20.
Persevering with my hunt for child gear, I managed to snag some cute, zero-to-three-month-old stripey trousers for only a fiver (RRP £7).
The shop additionally gives ‘not fairly good’ and ‘clearance cleared up’ objects which are bought as seen at an extra lowered value.
Do you’ve got a narrative to share?
Get in contact by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
MORE: M&S customers completely flabbergasted over ‘ridiculous’ £195 Christmas dish
MORE: M&S simply introduced again phenomenal festive deal with that was axed a decade in the past
MORE: M&S launches first-of-its-kind breakfast vary and prospects ‘want each single factor’
