Council continues to tout Marks and Spencer as part of Rochdale Riverside despite M&S pull out

Rochdale Riverside

Rochdale Borough Council continues to promote Marks and Spencer as part of the Rochdale Riverside town centre development scheme despite M&S pulling out.

Press releases sent out by the Council, and published on the Council’s website, continue to cite M&S as part of the scheme.

The latest release this week, about work on the scheme starting, said: ‘Next, M&S, JD Sports, Boots and River Island have already signed up to the scheme, alongside Reel Cinemas. The development is due to open to the public in summer 2020.’

Rochdale Online contacted M&S and asked if it had rescinded its decision to pull out of the scheme, a spokesperson said as far as M&S is concerned “nothing has changed”, it is "not going ahead with the Riverside development", but is "staying on Yorkshire Street".

Asked 'why does the council keep promoting M&S as part of the Rochdale Riverside scheme knowing that M&S has pulled out', a council spokesperson responded: "M&S still have a legal agreement with us to take space on the development, so they are still involved at this point as far as we are concerned."

Asked 'is the council going to go to court to enforce the contract'? The council spokesperson refused to answer, saying: “Any discussions involving M&S are confidential in nature.”