Great-grandmother-of-three who worked at Buxton Marks and Spencer for 20 years tells of 'heartbreak' over its closure

A great-grandmother-of-three who worked at Buxton’s Marks and Spencer store for 20 years has told of her ‘heartbreak’ over its closure.
Margery Sherwood with Marks and Spencer colleaguesMargery Sherwood with Marks and Spencer colleagues
Margery Sherwood with Marks and Spencer colleagues

Margery Sherwood, 81, started work at the Spring Gardens store in 1969 aged 31 and retired with a ‘generous’ pension in 1989.

Mum-of-two Margery - who worked in the food department - has shared precious photos with the Advertiser of parties and special occasions during her time at the store which closed on Saturday.

She said: “The best thing about working there was the camaraderie.

“You would go to work and see your friends and the atmosphere was wonderful - it was a lovely warm atmosphere.

“We had these lovely lunches every day at a very small cost where you sat there in the cafe and chatted - it was a wonderful shop to work in.”

Margery - whose late husband Ivor worked at the store for nine years until his death - told how the store even had it’s own resident doctor.

She said: “Since they announced the closure I haven’t been back to the precinct - I don’t know how I’ll bear going in there and seeing it being boarded up.

“I just wish we knew why - we are one of the most famous towns in Derbyshire - for 50 years it’s been a positive part of my life and now it’s gone - it’s heartbreaking.”

Marks and Spencer announced its final closure date in February despite a ‘rigorous’ consultation with the store’s 46 staff members.

M&S bosses said their proposal to close the Spring Gardens store was ultimately ‘the right one’.

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