OVER the past few weeks, we have been reporting on changes to Marks and Spencer in Gemini.

But the iconic high street store moved into Golden Square Shopping Centre when the first phase of the development opened in 1977.

But the shop had been serving generations of residents long before the town centre mall was built.

Janice Hayes, historian, said Marks and Spencer first opened as a stall in the old Warrington Market.

It was successful enough to move into a small shop, which may have been in Bridge Street, before moving into the store many people will remember on Sankey Street.

Janice said: “Marks and Spencer arrived in Sankey Street in the 1930s in anticipation of the imminent plans to widen the street and redevelop the Market Place. 

“It was designed with a temporary single storey frontage which soon became a permanent feature.

“Eventually pedestrianisation replaced road widening schemes and in 1977 a new Marks and Spencer’s store opened in the first phase of Golden Square.

“In 1978 the original store on Sankey Street and its neighbours were demolished.”

Marks and Spencer was founded in 1884 by a Polish refugee, Michael Marks, who opened the chain’s first market stall in Leeds.

It closed its town centre branch in summer 2017.

The brand currently has more than 400 stores across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.