Tips: - The foodhall is on the lower ground floor. The crisps are everything! -This company has its own bank. I grew up with Marks and Spencer (M&S). Canada had this chain for over twenty years before all locations shuttered for good in 1999. My go-to location was at Shoppers World on Danforth Avenue at Victoria Park Avenue. I still remember the last item that I bought at this store, which was a blue t-shirt. I visited London in December 2013. Out of all the flagship department stores that I wanted to go to, it was this M&S store on Oxford Street that had priority. I was staying at a hotel in South Kensington. I took the 74 bus to get to this store. I remember someone asking me where the bus stop was as I was heading over to it to take the bus to this store. I'm not sure why folks ask me for directions in a city that is new to me. It happens often. I felt accomplished that I knew something as a tourist! I remember how happy I was when I walked into this store. Hopefully, the floor plan and floors haven't changed since I was last there: - Lower ground floor - foodhall - Ground and first floors - women's clothing - Second floor - men's clothing - Third floor - homeware I don't recall being on the top floor. I could be wrong. I also don't know if the M&S Bank is still at this store. It was cool when I visited it, with comfy couches to relax. I spent some time in the men's clothing section. I bought a green cashmere sweater as a gift that was so soft to the touch. I loved the two floors full of women's clothing. I ended up getting socks that felt ridiculously soft that I had to have them. My spent the majority of my time in the foodhall. I hit the crisps section first. I got a few varieties of crisps: - Roast beef and onion - Roast chicken and garlic butter - Cheddar cheese and onion All of them were amazing. I am salivating thinking about them. So good! I also ended up getting biscuits (cookies). I got shortbread and white chocolate. They were amazing, likely due to the butter. I remember asking a woman at the checkout whether my Discover card was an acceptable payment option. It's also known as a Diner's Club card internationally. My Discover card that I've had since I lived in Minnesota worked here. Yay! I want to go back to this store. It has been renovated since I was last here. I'd like to check out the changes and get more food. (51) read more

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I feel so happy when I'm here, I love M&S, it's the tourist in me. You can find anything and everything, couldn't find my sticky toffee pudding but it's okay, going to try the recommended prawn sammie. read more

Marks and Spencer - M&S FTW - Department Stores Near Me - London, XGL

Came by the other day and it was a lovely experience. Marks and Spencer is a department store on the street and upper levels selling clothes and home goods. The store was stuffy and doesn't appear to have air conditioning as there were numerous gigantic commercial fans placed throughout the store. The highlight of the visit was the basement M&S food. It's a full on high end grocery store with quality ready to eat foods, fruits/vegetables, crisps, cookies, along with fresh meats and frozen meals ready to cook. read more

Marks and Spencer - Department Stores Near Me - London, XGL

As someone fortunate to travel for work, one of my favorite activities is to visit grocery stores. Out of all the grocery stores in the world.... London by far has some of the best. While Waitrose slightly beats out M&S simply because they carry brands other than their own, Marks and Spencer is a close 2nd I stopped in to purchase a coronation chicken triangle sandwich (so British! It's a curry chicken salad). Of course I got crisps (Americans say chips) and a couple beverages. I also got some treats! The store is beautiful and I loved seeing their Mother's Day and Easter selections. The food was of course delicious and I got some extra snacks to bring home to my family in the States. Regarding the service, a nice man helped me with scanning. Even in the Uk the self-service scammers hate me. The value is well.... This is a gourmet grocer. I think my bill was $70 usd. But who cares! It's London and the experience was lovely. read more

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Their fish and chips with peas in the M&S cafe is consistently fresh, crisp and massive portion! I look forward to lunches there. Food hall has gems like proper Saucisson, Brie du Meaux, Epoisse, and Croissant. They're ready to heat and eat Indian meal combos are also excellent value for money and delicious. read more

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The pros of this location is the food hall. Usually well stocked throughout the day and easy to navigate around. However, this location is often out of smaller sizes in their women's clothing. This is my local store and it gets very frustrating to have to order things constantly because the smallest I can find is a 14. You'd think a store as big as M&S would stock higher quantities of the more popular sizes, but it's fairly typical that I struggle to find the size I need. The fitting room staff aren't always the friendliest here either. read more

I am a particular fan of M&S Food Hall! You can find snacks, ready to eat meals and fresh or frozen food items! My go-tos are the fun salads, cookies and teas! read more

Marks and Spencer - Alcohol free beverages - Department Stores Near Me - London, XGL

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Date of visit: September 5, 2022 As a first-time visitor to London, it seems like Selfridge's gets all of the hype when there are plenty of great things at Marks and Spencer (also known as M&S) that you should take a look at, instead. For those that live on this side of the pond, M&S appears to be at a similar level to say, Kohl's, but with almost exclusively selling its own private-label merchandise. There is also a food hall, grocery store, and cafe. Funny enough, Kohl's is experimenting with cafes in their stores currently. The store was clean and for the most part, racks were organized thoughtfully and sizes were easy to find. I happened to be looking for a pair of linen pants that I could wear to an upcoming, tropical destination wedding and was successful! Staff at the registers and fitting room were both very nice. Really the only disappointing section of the store was the cafe, which was neither inviting nor appetizing and we opted not to try anything. read more

Ohhhh M&S you did it again!!!!! You seldom disappoint when it comes to food . I have been on a quest for the best GF bread for years and thought i had found it till this week.... It does NOT get better than this. Texture, taste, look it is hands down the most delicious bread out there. Guess I'll have to fill my suitcase next week...please NEVER EVER discontinue this bread!!!! read more

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Every time i come to London i always have to stop by this particular location. It literally has everything. With multiple floors you find find clothing, housewares etc. I think what most tourist come here is for the basement which is the grocery store and hot food area. Its a perfect spot to pick up treats to take home like percy pig and friends gummies and other assortments of biscuits. Its also a good place to get prepared meals if your on the go or just dont want to cook and looking for something relatively inexpensive. Just keep in mind that if your not staying near this location and you have to travel back elsewhere, consider how much you can carry or haul back. There are plenty of mark & spencer local stores all around which are more convenient but just arent as big and offer a limited selection. read more

I am quite shocked to say the least about all the negative reviews on this page . I live in London and use Marks and Spencer weekly . I have on many an occassion also used and bought from Marks and Spencer throughout the UK when I have been on holiday or visiting friends and family.....I have never been EVER disappointed with any branch or their staff members......The service I receive at any time in any branch exceeds expectations am I just lucky ??????. No I believe that on some occassions the customers can be very rude I have infact been in stores and the customer in front of me as we British say KICKED OFF .........Amazing how staff members just keep their cool and continue to smile and most of all continue to try to calm the customer down and help.....I can not fault Marks and Spencer , so please continue to employ the lovely staff that you do and making the overall expierience of visiting any store an enjoyement x read more

Marks & Spencer on Oxford Street is one of the many large department stores on the street and it is over multiple floors and the flagship store of the company, so from the clothes section to the Food Hall, one should expect to find most of the Marks and Spencer products they offer in this store, compared to other branches which are likely to be limited by size. This store is a real example that bigger doesn't always mean better, for example, I found this store to be like a maze at times, with a confusing layout and very few lifts (which also were hidden) for a store of which size. The checkout process in the Food Hall seemed to be manic and not very well maintained, despite there being a large number of self-service tills. The product range for a Marks and Spencer cannot be faulted as they typically sell everything that one would expect to find and see in a Marks and Spencer store, with the exception being of the fresh drinks including freshly squeezed orange juices and infused waters which there weren't a great number of, and they didn't seem to be adding more which was a shame. A lot of products was reduced due to nearing their expiration day on my visit, in the middle of the afternoon during the week. The staff here didn't seem to be too friendly, I really struggled to find a staff member when I got lost in the store struggling to find sections such as the free from section and the lift, the only staff member I could find was towards the end of the store using her phone and seemed shocked I even approached her, she didn't explain very well or seem too confident or friendly where these areas of the store were. Shame. A great selection of products ruined by terrible service and the store layout and number of lifts, albeit still warranting a slightly generous three-star rating for this flagship Marks and Spencer. read more

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This branch of M&S sits prominently on Oxford Street next to Selfridges. It has several levels and and a huge selection of clothing of all styles and budgets. Mostly I head into M&S for some food or loungewear. This one here had great deals on lounge- and underwear (sale season). It also has food section, but we already did our shopping at M&S in Covent Garden (small, but nice). The shop is pretty packed with clothes, so if you really look for something you should have some time on your hands. With a bit of luck and patience you'll find good deals. Also a good place to visit the toilet :) read more

Marks and Spencer - Mommy went shopping - taking a break outside with Daddy - Department Stores Near Me - London, XGL

Went in the cafe on the 3rd floor to get a drink and quick snack. I chose a snack and went to order a tea. It looked like you had to order the tea and then go to the checkout so that's what I did, but the man told me I had to order at the checkout, even though he asked me what I wanted which was confusing. When I got to the checkout I asked for a tea and the lady said to me "noooo... we're not having one of those today! We have coffee...latte, cappuccino etc." This seemed quite a strange and patronising way of trying to tell me that didn't have any tea left...like I should have known ... but there were no signs anywhere saying they didn't have certain drinks left. I said I would just have the cake and she again told me what type of coffee the had and looked annoyed that I didn't want any which again was quite strange when I told her I would only like to buy the cake, if there was no tea left. It was also quite hard to find a clean table. I understand it was Sunday afternoon and maybe they didn't have many staff but there seemed to be free tables that didn't have trays of empty plates on them. The cake itself was very nice, as was the decor of the place. read more

The big M&S in West Oxford Street was just a teensy bit underwhelming. Especially for a flagship store. Some parts of the store are quite modern (like the signage) and the storefront is quite posh looking but the actual store is very dated and looks like it hasn't been updated since the 70s! I only went to the cafe as I was waiting for Selfridges to open and I panicked because my card got declined. It was their chip and pin machine which had the problem though, not my card... It was also ridiculously warm. I couldn't stand the heat so I quickly jumped back out onto Oxford Street, not too soon after arriving. I suppose it's in a good location, right at the end of Oxford Street, near Marble Arch Underground Station and the actual Marble Arch. And I guess you could pop in to get a sandwich or a bottle of water before getting on the tube, but that's about it. It's just a standard M&S! Famous for food and undies! Nothing to see here. Go to Selfridges instead... read more

Marks and Spencer - Department Stores Near Me - London, XGL

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A department store with a market in the basement. BF grew up with Marks & Spencer and made sure on our first full day in London to stock up on supplies here. We picked up chocolate digestives, large fruit trifle, pudding, Cadbury and non-Cadbury chocolate, and sausage rolls. Everything was delicious! We even came back the second to last day of our trip to stock up on supplies to bring home to the States (e.g. lots of chocolate and digestives). Bring your own bags or pay for one of theirs. The checkout lanes are all self-checkout - how fun! read more

M&S - Marks and Spencer - or as my friends often call it - 'Mundane and Staid' or some even say, 'Mash and Sausages' - being the very staple diet of any REAL British person. And, just like Mash and Sausages, 'Marks and Sparks,' (yet another nickname) has gone through countless stages. In ancient times their clothing ranges were made of rather good quality materials. You just knew were hard wearing and close to 100% pure natural fibres. Durable and reliable. But, unfortunately in modern times, it's been a little bit like an 'Old Moll at a Butcher's picnic' 'once the skirt starts a liftin' the Asian cracks start appearin'! One can almost conjure up an image of back room sweat shops somewhere deep in the orient - churning the garments out at a high speed turnover rate. But, to give them some slack, isn't that High Street Clothing stores these days, everywhere. Turning any collar in any clothing store means the odds of seeing the 'Made in China' label is very high. Let's face it, M&S have a lot of competition out there these days, even if they do have Twiggy at the advertising helm. In today's society Big Chains are geared to take a 'little off a lot' - and, as we all know, newspapers never lie - and they did state recently, women buy close to 62lbs of clothing every year, most of which they don't even get to wear - men say, 'go figure' because the result doesn't show in 'The figure!' Which means, women buy for just the look and seldom for practicality or the longevity of the garment. So, dispensable buying is basically just therapy - perhaps far cheaper than going to a shrink. SUMMARY: As long as it's pretty and brightly coloured, it makes many feel good inside. And, as M&S made a profit this last year, they must know what they are doing...even if I personally cry 'It's not cricket!' Marketing and clever psychology. You look around any M&S store these days and your gaze wanders to all the brightly coloured items hanging from clothing rails and from a distance, they do look great - The designs are clever, so you think, 'I could virtually eat this stuff - and then, the wizened shopper wanders a little bit closer, hesitating momentarily to say, 'Hang on, this is really sub- standard fashion, almost bordering on 'cheap and nasty', what's happened to this place? Their most famous customer, Princess Di would now scuttle out of the doors poste haste. Yes, sadly, style and numbers have taken over from quality and substance, just like the population of the globe - all in order to compete with all the 'cut price' stores out there. I guess, they have little option. But doesn't the devout M&S shopper deserve better than this? After all, M&S goes back 'Donkey's years' and should be far superior...Like all British Citizens. Shouldn't it? M&S being a household name, always struck a chord for generations to hardy, wholesome and herringbone. I am not saying that they really need to be boring and conservative. You can have sass and panache as well as maintaining finesse by choosing better quality cloth. Their expensive marketing and television advertising certainly portrays that, but maintaining that visionary image when actually in the store? No way, Jose! So why do they sacrifice one thing for something else? M&S, so sorry, but it definitely shows, old mate! Their leather goods these days - shoes, handbags, belts etc are hard and brittle like yesterday's beefburger - making you think, what kind of awesome old cow was slaughtered in the process to reach this rather decayed end result? Must be right weary oriental heifers...or is that just a load of old bull, because I personally would prefer to go off and shop in Milano? You decide. I almost have. Just need the fare, please. On the upside, which earns them an extra star here from me, their food range is always great, I could never complain about that and I must say their innovative healthy salad ranges - which tells you every possible food intolerance - gets two thumbs up from me, so they are doing something well on the inside. Maybe, that's all that counts! Logically, sustenance beats rags, anyway. By the way, just so that customers don't need to use their GPS systems in M&S stores, as well as outside, I suggest better store directions inside - cause finding certain ranges of clothing and even certain departments is often harder that driving backwards in the Gobi desert in a heavy sand storm. read more

Great service from Kelly in the food hall. very professional yet personable. friendly and helpful. Grace is lovely in the food hall too. both ladies treat every customer as an individual. Nothing is too much trouble for these two ladies. very friendly shopping experience. the new vegan products are tasty and varied. competitive price too. The cleaning range is superb. I was a Method devotee, not anymore, M&S new revamped cleaning range is superb. I can save £25 to £30 per week on my shopping bill at M&S compared to Waitrose. Fruit and vegetables are fresher too. store a whole lot cleaner than Waitrose also. Well done Kelly and Grace. Nik The manager, is customer focused and friendly too. read more

Marks and Spencer has quality products. They have excellent wool clothing and bathing suits. The food market downstairs is great too. Fresh foods for take out and already prepped meals. The bakery is marvellous as well! The flowers are beautiful today! Enjoy! read more

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I wish they had kept M&S in Canada! This was one of my first stops on my trip to stock up on groceries for the 10 days I was going to be spending in London. So many healthy and tasty options. On my second trip here I managed to find a really comfortable pair of shoes that worked perfectly with the dress I had just purchased for an event that week. Its hard to find comfortable and affordable footwear on the best day so I was relieved when it didn't take me long at M&S. A staple in any shopping trip, even for the Canadaians. read more

Love, Love, LOVE Marks & Spencer. For someone that is an avid Whole Foods shopper in the States it is great to have a store that is prevelant in London that sells good wholesome and healthy food. I enjoyed that there were meals you could simply pick up and were ready to eat. Also, this was a much less expensive option to eat lunch than eating in an actual restaurant while I was walking about. Their sandwiches were good and it was nice to see the calories posted on just about every prepared meal that they sold. Salads, pasta, cooked protiens, sandwiches, wraps, cheeses, desserts, M&S has just about anything you are looking for! read more

You can actually have a lot more fun here than Harrod's. Because you can actually buy things... affordable things. I write this Yelp from the comfort of my sherpa-lined fleece robe, which I gallavant about my house in every single day since bringing it home from London. It was £28, about USD $35. Super worth it. It's a dark grey, so I almost feel like some sort of Cthulu-worshiping cultist, or perhaps a member of The Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos (Chant, 1994, look it up). But it's just soooooo cozy. And made by the store's in house label. And then there's somehow a supermarket downstairs... making this place almost like a classy Wal*Mart. Macy's meets Bertucci's, sorta? I dunno. All I know is that it was busy as hell, the bathrooms were full of feces-filled lines, and the deals were... pretty good. It's no Black Friday, but at least you don't have to sacrifice half of a major holiday to go deal shopping in Britain. read more

I go there everytime I come to London. I especially like the food court downstairs. Great "ready to eat" take out food. Just before they close, many freshly baked goods go down to 50% off! For the rest, I don't shop much there for clothing but it looks nice and not too pricey. read more

My God what has happened to you, M&S? This store used to be my Kryptonite! No more! Clothing was very ho-hum ... not a salesperson to be seen. Not the friendliest service anywhere there. One person on the cash desk, long lineups ... But: they are still #1 for biscuits, chocolates and thE best of British sweet and savoury indulgences. Just don't expect service or a smile. Too bad .... read more

I defy anyone who says that they don't own a pair of pants from M&S, and M&S Marble Arch is, quite simply, the best M&S in London. And so it should be, this is Stuart Rose's flagship store, a store stocking M&S's most cutting edge fashion - no, that's not anomalous - and best selection of homewares. You know those M&S pieces you see on LK Today but you can never find at your local branch? Or the ill conceived Patricia Field collaboration that spawned a thousand corsages ultimately bound for the Boxing Day sales? This is where you'll find them. Head to M&S Marble Arch if you want the pick of this retail giant's best pieces. The best cashmere, the largest range of accessories and the biggest selection of big M&S pants this side of a Helen Fielding novel. Bridget Jones eat your heart out! read more

Marks and Spencer - Photograph courtesy of http://www.marksandspencer.com/ - Department Stores Near Me - London, XGL

Would have given 5 stars but the take away food was so awful I had to leave more than half to the trash. The mangoes however were amazingly delicious. I ended up shopping while munching on them. That made me less interested in the clothes though... read more

Ordered 2 coats that were only available online as i could not decide between them but thought I'd just return the one i like less. This was back in September started the return on 27th sept, returned the coat a couple days after at the post office, m&s received it and advised my refund was issued on 28th sept. Guess what, today is 15/11 and I'm still waiting. I called numerous times to be told to wait a few more days, that they re-issued it but still nothing. Called again today and i have been ok hold for an hour after someone telling me finance said refund was issued on 28/9 and she can't really do anything more. The fact i still don't have it does not seem relevant. I checked with my bank as well and they confirmed they have not seen such a payment trying to hit my account. They are not sending proof of payment i cannot speak to anyone else and to be honest, I don't think I they actually care given the reviews below. I have made the payment from my credit card so I will try to get it back via my bank, hopefully. I asked them to raise a formal company and to investigate what happened with this so we will see what happens next however I don't have very high expectations... read more

A huge store with a mix of groceries, clothing and household items. It has, almost, everything that you need and is more reasonable priced than Harrod's. I try to shop in this store at least once on a visit to London. read more

Very iconic and as a visitor you should at least go once to say you have been there. However you can feel and observe that the place has aged. Other than that, it's a larger department store with multiple floors. Good place to find reasonably priced and overall nice clothing. read more

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There is no arguing that M&S has dramatically improved over the past couple of years; their clothing was previously stuck in a timewarp, although their food remained the one reason to shop there. Things have changed on the fashion front and M&S is now worth a visit - without fearing the social stigma. Good basics and a few rather trendy styles - although I still think basics are best here - and the prices are very reasonable. This Oxford St branch is one of the largest in central London, therefore the selection here is wider than most other stores. Food is always good, so a stop in the basement is a must. Their sandwiches and salads for lunch are pretty decent. read more

Marks and Spencer - Department Stores Near Me - London, XGL

This is for their US website. I ordered two 100% natural fiber tops. One is made of 100% Plan A Cotton. I had never heard of that and was intrigued to learn about their commitment to sustainable cotton. As far as the weave and feel, this cotton is unlike any I've owned. It's silky soft and has a stretchy weave. The price was only $13 US. I also ordered a 100% wool Jumper which I love. Express shipping is free. I placed my order Sunday evening and my shipment arrived from the UK only days later on Thursday! My sweater shipped on a hanger and was fully wrapped in plastic similar to a dry cleaning bag. I'm looking forward to seeing what they offer for the spring! (M&S has an extraordinary selection of beautiful food that sadly is only available in the UK.) read more

There are 2 M&S stores on Oxford Street and I guess this must be the flagship store as it's slightly bigger with more floors. M&S has become synonymous with reliable, good quality goods and it's alleged that theb majority of the population buy their underwear from M&S I tend not to come shopping at this shop as I tend to hang around the other end of Oxford Street. However, this review is to highlight their currency exchange service on the 3rd floor. I have my go to currency exchange place in Queensway, which offers the best rates to buy foreign currency. However, they didn't sell the yuan (Chinese currency) for my impending trip to China. After a fruitless trek through a lot of London, I tried this M&S location and they came through with the yuan at a good rate. It just took 3 goes to explain to the cashier that I wanted the yuan, not yen. All set for China with the parents and sister now read more

Needing to pick up some home essentials, I stopped at Marks & Spencer on the recommendation of Miss Molly. Deciding to be a trooper, I felt walking to the other end of Mayfair was reasonable, especially since the snow had stopped coming down quite a bit earlier. I got all of about ten blocks up near Grosvernor Square when a giant snow flurry came rushing through. That was an experience I had not had in quite a while. Eventually, I got to M&S and within 30 minutes, had just about everything on my list. This short trip could have easily doubled if the very friendly staff hadn't walked me over and shown me where the couple items I was looking for could be found. To top it off, they had the Chelsea vs. Liverpool match on in the Technology department, which lead me to spend more time in there. I will definitely be coming back here when in the need. read more

When it comes to Marks & Spencer stores, I have to agree with Adrienne G - this one is the mothership! It's huge, even though there is another M&S further down on Oxford St! Every time I come here I tell myself I only need "__insert name of thing__" and end up getting distracted by the huge selection of bras and stockings! Why oh why can't North American stores carry bras, knickers and stockings for girls larger than a size 12 (US)! Every time I'm in London I end up spending about £30 here on stockings alone. Why here and not Primark? Because the quality is infinitely better. For fun, trendy clothing items I'll go to Primark but for garments where quality matters (like bras!) I'll always come to M&S. The Food Hall in the basement has everything that my friends ask me to bring home for them: potato rings, shrimp cocktail chips (the flower shaped ones) and ginger snap cookies from back when we used to have M&S in Canada. Yes, there is a lot of packaging in the ready-to-eat section, but it has saved me many a time when I've needed to grab something on the go. I've noticed that it's very hard to find a certain type of Almond Cookie here, but I have no trouble getting it a M&S in Hong Kong. Strange... The customer service lines up on the 4th floor for returns/exchanges and VAT refund forms can be a bit long so try to avoid peak times. read more

A few years ago the airline misplaced one of our bags, and before it was found and delivered to our apartment I needed a nice outfit for a fairly dressy occasion. Not wanting to spend a fortune in Harrods or Selfridges, I came to Marks & Spencer. To my surprise, I found a fashionable dress with a coordinated bolero jacket for only £30. I still wear them and get nice compliments whenever I do. Twice we have been nearby when we were caught in an unexpected downpour, and we ran in here to buy well-constructed umbrellas for only £5.00 each. We also have enjoyed delicious salads, pork pies, and quiche from their food hall. read more

I'm a huge fan of M&S! I love their sandwiches in their ready-to-eat sections! Their products are of good quality. Great place to stop in and get some quick picnic foods at Hyde Park or somewhere. I wish we had then in Canada. The only complaint was that they're a bit expensive but it's more the British Sterling's fault than M&S's read more

This M&S location isn't as bright and flashy as some other M&S's in town, but it does seem to have it all. I was on the hunt for a new pillow after my previous one was causing lots of neck pain and subsequently, headaches. I found a really nice contour memory foam pillow for about 1/2 the price of the name-brand competitor's version. I thought I'd take a look around at the Westfield mall before making my final decision, in hopes that I would be able to pick up the M&S pillow in Westfield should I not find a superior pillow elsewhere. Turns out, even though the M&S in the Westfield mall is quite large, it doesn't have quite the selection of pillows that the Marble Arch location has. I had to make a special trip to pick up the pillow, but I have no regrets as I'm sleeping so much better. Overall, this location is good. There is a great selection to choose from, and it has all the good stuff you expect from a big M&S including a Simply Food and cafe. I haven't found the cafe to be as nice as some of the other locations, but it's still a nice place to stop if you are looking for a relatively inexpensive snack after a few hours of shopping. read more

I grew up on Marks & Spencer products and, every Christmas, had some wine gums stuffed into my stocking. What a delicious tradition. Flash forward to today: no need to wait for each December, now I can get myself to Marks & Spencers and, as an adult, BUY ALL THE PERCY PIG PINK GUMMIES I WANT! (Mom, if you're reading: I buy vegetables, too). Marks & Spencers is great. I like their commitment to British-sourced products. I like their packaging. I like that their "prepared" meals, conveniently ready-to-go, never taste processed. They also regularly come out with new products, which is lovely; nice to be a heritage brand with old stand-by items but also jazz things up. It's TwentyTwelve, y'all, let's eat pulled pork soup! (for instance. Btw: it's delish) A slight mark down for their spicy hummus which I can no longer find on shelves, but I'll get over it. Promise. Yelp note: post-work and lunch hour M-F can be a zoo so if you have the option to shop during "off" hours, do so! read more

Several years ago, my son was studying abroad in Wales (we live in the US) and through M&S website, ordered several shirts to be delivered to my son. It wasn't a huge purchase (125 £) , but money was tight and I specifically ordered from M&S based on my Brit friends' tales of legendary service. I never learned why, but my son never received his parcel, though my CC was charged quite promptly. When I followed up with M&S which involved a series of international calls, the actual response I got was "Ah yes, I see the order... shipped on time... everything seems to be in order. So sorry that happened!" But no offer to resend, refund, or even track. Just... nothing. read more

This is the Mothership of all Marks & Spencers that we've encountered FOUR FLOORS of nothing but goodness & this doesn't include the food / grocery section in the basement Sis & I didn't even get through 1 entire floor in the 2.5 hrs we were there but we sure had armloads & armloads of clothing. Good thing I brought TWO suitcases w/ me for just such an event..... read more