M&Co aims for Sidmouth

A FASHION chain is hoping to open a store in Sidmouth s empty Woolworths premises.

A FASHION chain is hoping to open a store in Sidmouth's empty Woolworths' premises.

Job Centre ads for managerial staff for M & Co, formerly Mackays, which also operates an online store, appeared last week in the Sidmouth Herald and Midweek Herald and have already attracted a number of enquiries from residents.

One reader, who received an application form, confirmed the position advertised was for the fashion retailer M & Co, which has a branch in Exmouth.

She said: "The application form had M & Co on it. About four people I've spoken to applied for the job to find out who is moving into Woolworths."

However, a spokeswoman for its PR company Peppermint, told the Herald: "M&Co don't have any record of having placed a job advertisement in your paper, although enquiries may have been made."

She then gave the following statement from Andrew McGeoch, head of marketing and web services at M&Co, which seems to confirm the store is coming to town.

He said: "We're currently looking into the site and are very excited about the prospect of moving to the area.

"As one of very few retailers bucking the trend and investing back into local high streets, we'd love to open our doors in Sidmouth, creating new jobs in the area, whilst providing a large range of fabulous fashion for all the family."

M & Co sells affordable fashion for women, baby, children's clothes and menswear, as well as accessories and soft furnishings for the home.

Chartered surveyor Richard Heard, who has been dealing with interested parties over the Woolworths site, told the Herald last month, when there was speculation W H Smith might be interested, that three plc companies were considering negotiating for the store.

He would not name any, but said: "I don't think any of them would be anything other than a credit to the town. They would all fit well into the town.