Marks and Spencer has confirmed it intends to open a second Kirkcaldy store just a week after ruling out the move.
The company has exclusively told The Courier it will open a Simply Food outlet at the Fife Central Retail Park, in a move that will create up to 50 jobs.
Planning permission for the store has still to be sought, although the company says it is targeting the unit currently occupied by Next, which is moving within the retail park to new, larger premises.
It comes just a week after M&S ruled out opening such an outlet at the site, despite widespread local rumours suggesting it was a certainty.
Colin Farrow from Hammerson, the owner of Fife Central Retail Park, said such a store would be a welcome addition to the Lang Toun.
“We are delighted to have one of the country’s best-known retailers show an interest in expanding its presence in this thriving town,” he said.
“This is a real vote of confidence in Kirkcaldy.”
Marks and Spencer was keen to stress that any sister store would not impact upon its presence in Kirkcaldy’s High Street.
Considered an “anchor store” in the town centre, it sells clothing as well as food and underwent a major refurbishment this year.
Although the Simply Food store has yet to receive planning permission, Chris Smith from M&S Simply Food said that the two stores could comfortably co-exist.
He told The Courier: “Simply Food serves a different audience, who come shopping at a different time and for different products to our High Street stores.
“That is why it is so important for us to also retain our High Street presence in Kirkcaldy.
“If we are granted planning permission, the new Simply Food store at Fife Central Retail Park will complement our presence in the town centre and better enable M&S to meet the needs of customers who want to do their food shopping locally.”