If someone told you a new branch of M&S was to open right next door to your store, you might well panic.
But then imagine hearing this potentially damaging news the very week an expensive refit was due to commence at your own store. For many retailers it might mean – at best – a wasted investment – or worse, a complete store closure.
But that’s actually the opposite of Warwickshire Budgens retailer Sid Sidhu’s reaction - after he found himself in this exact position.
“I’ve put everything on ice pending the news. There’s all kinds of things I’ve already done, but the key point here is it’s not been publicly mentioned. So for me, I’m doing the prudent thing of not doing the store refit yet, although everything was agreed and signed off,” he explains.
The calmness with which Sid has reacted to the potentially game-changing store opening next door is frankly amazing. It didn’t come from official channels, instead from an off the cuff conversation with the previous manager of the premises – a Bar Revolution – which saw its entre chain shuttered earlier this month. “I only found out from the management of the pub before they left as they were closing up,” Sid says.
The longstanding retailer also says he has doubts the smaller size of the now vacant building, offering only around 3,000 sq.ft. of retail space, will mean it won’t impact him too much. In fact, if the new M&S chooses to focus on food to go and chilled, as many do, it could actually signal an opportunity.
“I’ll need to repurpose my space in a completely different way than how I’ve planned.”
“There’s all kinds of things we were going to do, but I’ll wait for news now. I want to make sure that we invest in a fit and proper way. I’ll need to repurpose my space in a completely different way than how I’ve planned.
“I had 10m of chillers going in for fresh and chilled. But now, my attitude is quite simple - let them [M&S] win that space. There’s no point me putting in a proposition to end up throwing stuff in the bin left, right and centre,” Sid added.
Sid’s own research has lead him to the conclusion his store can punch higher than M&S in areas they’re not perceived as being as good at: “Fresh and chilled is the backbone of their business,” he explains. “So we’ll have a lot more non-food, but certain categories, you know - soft drinks - you’d actually try and become a destination.”
Part of Sid’s thinking comes down to the M&S strength through its own brand lines, and as a result, says this will determine what goes on his new store’s shelves. “I want my store to resonate with customers with categories that M&S isn’t doing or isn’t known to be very good at. They don’t have a huge amount of ambient space, for example.
“I’ve been to two or three now just to have a look and you don’t realise that actually, all the middle bits are full of fridges. It’s all M&S branded. But if it is an M&S coming, that’ll be a great footfall driver - and it’s also going to drive the right type of footfall.”
This attention to a potentially new demographic shopping in his area is, Sid says, actually a great opportunity. “It will drive a huge amount of yummy mummies and people with higher than average disposable incomes to us.
“So anything I do with the new store would be brand-led. We’d have a huge amount of brands because I wouldn’t bother putting too much own label in because M&S are known for that. Brands would be the key player for me.”
M&S might even turn out to be something of a dream neighbour, Sid said. “I was thinking if anyone was coming into that space from the multiples, then M&S would be the ideal one.
“I straightaway saw this as an opportunity. I’m still going to invest in the site. I just need to make sure that it’s making best use of that space and getting the additional traffic and the right type too, which will go past our store to go next door into M&S.
“I’ve just got to make sure I can maximise the opportunity…”
“I’ve just got to make sure I can maximise the opportunity of the right type of customers going past, being more upmarket in the look and feel of the store.”
Sid adds that he thinks a new M&S could have a knock-on effect in his own store for his shoppers. “It’ll be good for the area, even for simple things. I’ve highlighted that aisle width and decompression space is key, because there’d be a huge amount of mummies going in there with pushchairs with young kids.
“They’ll need wider aisles for shopping around. I’ve got wide aisles in my store, but I might have to put less shelving in. That would be the right thing to do because you need to ensure they feel comfortable shopping in your environment and that they’re not struggling to push their trolleys around.
“I’ve got all the knowledge and tools to make sure my refit will be very complementary to what M&S do and not in competition with.”
In conclusion, Sid says he’s not panicking. “It’s about sitting back and waiting for some confirmation. When that happens, I can plough ahead quite quickly…”
You can now secure your tickets to the Convenience Awards 2026!
Join us on 11 March in Liverpool to celebrate the entire convenience community.
See this year’s finalists and book your seat here.
No comments yet