M&S pulls down shutters on last European store

Marks & Spencer is taking another step towards turning its fortunes around, as its last store in continental Europe closes.

Its Boulevard Haussmann branch in Paris is its biggest and most successful in France.

The company signalled in March that it would close its European operation to focus on turning around its flagging UK stores.

Boulevard Haussmann is closing despite the fact that the store's turnover has increased by 50% this month as shoppers take their last chance to stock up on the British products.

An M&S spokeswoman said: "This has been planned for some time and the store will cease trading today regardless of trade in recent times.

"The decision was taken to focus on the UK business and the closure is part of an ongoing strategy."

The store's director, Guy Bodescot, said French customers had been buying trolley loads of goods in recent weeks.

He said: "We've taken about Fr65 million (£6.1m) in three weeks and been serving 20,000 customers a day, which is extraordinary.

"It's as though France was at war with Britain and people here were never ever going to be able to buy another British product again."

All 1,700 M&S employees in France have been offered jobs by the French chain Galeries Lafayette, which is taking over the stores.