THE Marks and Spencer store in Cwmbran is set to close next month.

The store had been earmarked for closure as part of 17 closures announced in January as part of the company's 'radical transformation plan'.

And over the weekend, signs appeared in the shop window announcing the store would close on Saturday, May 4.

A spokeswoman for M&S said: “Shopping habits are changing and reshaping our store estate to reflect this means making some difficult decisions.

"Our Cwmbran store will close on Saturday, May 4, and we hope to see lots of customers continuing to shop with us online and at M&S Newport Retail Park where some of the team will be relocating.

"In some cases, redeployment hasn’t been suitable for colleagues’ individual circumstances and we’d like to thank each and every member of the team for the contribution they’ve made to serving customers at M&S Cwmbran.”

The announcement of the store's closure at the start of the year was met with disappointment.

Torfaen AM Lynne Neagle and MP Nick Thomas-Symonds expressed their concerns over the closure of the store, and held an 'urgent meeting' with Marks and Spencer's management.

In a joint statement issued in January, they said: "This is terrible news both for the staff and the local community.

"The store has been a key retailer in Cwmbran town centre for many years.

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"That is why we have called for an urgent meeting with the management.

"It is absolutely vital a full and proper consultation is carried out – some 74 people’s jobs and livelihoods are at risk.

"We are ready to do all we can to help."