Key Points
- Unauthorised squatters reported occupying the empty former Marks & Spencer building in the town centre since early February 2026.
- Local residents alerted authorities after spotting groups entering the boarded-up site late last week.
- Council officials confirm the building has been vacant since M&S closure in 2023, with ongoing disputes over redevelopment.
- Police attended on 7 February 2026 but could not evict due to squatters’ legal protections under Section 144 of the Legal Aid Act.
- Witnesses describe anti-social behaviour including fires lit inside, broken windows, and loud disturbances at night.
- Town council vows swift action via possession order process, expected to take 4-6 weeks.
- Nearby businesses report drop in footfall and safety fears for shoppers.
- Historical context: Site previously a bustling M&S outlet employing 50 staff before economic pressures forced closure.
- No injuries reported but emergency services on standby amid fire risks from derelict structure.
- Community leaders call for urgent regeneration to prevent further decline in high street vitality.
INVERTED PYRAMID NEWS STORY
Stockport (Manchester Mirror) February 09, 2026 – Reports of squatters taking over the long-vacant former Marks & Spencer building in Stockport town centre have sparked alarm among residents and businesses this week. Local authorities confirmed the occupation on Sunday evening after multiple complaints about groups breaking in over the weekend. Police attended but stated eviction is not immediate due to legal safeguards for squatters in non-residential properties.
Who Are the Squatters and When Did They Arrive?
As reported by Sarah Jenkins of the Stockport Express, eyewitnesses first spotted figures climbing through smashed rear windows around 10pm on Thursday, 5 February 2026. “I saw three or four lads forcing the plywood off the back entrance; they had sleeping bags and crates of beer,” stated local shopkeeper Raj Patel, 52, who owns a newsagent 50 metres away. The building, a two-storey art deco structure on the corner of Mersey Way and Prince’s Street, has stood empty since Marks & Spencer shuttered its 12,500 sq ft store in November 2023 amid a wave of high street closures.
According to PC Liam Hargreaves of Greater Manchester Police, as quoted in the Manchester Evening News by reporter Elena Vasquez, “Officers arrived at 22:45hrs on 7 February following 999 calls. The individuals inside – estimated at 5-7 persons – refused to leave. Under current law, residential squatters have protections, but this commercial site complicates immediate action.” No arrests were made as the group claimed they were “just sheltering from the cold.”
What Has Been the Immediate Response from Authorities?
Town council leader Cllr David Marshall told the Stockport Times journalist Mark Reilly, “We’ve instructed our legal team to seek a possession order first thing tomorrow. This eyesore has blighted our high street long enough; squatters are the final straw.” The council highlighted that ownership remains with M&S Pension Trust, tangled in protracted sale talks with developers since 2024. As per BBC Manchester reporter Aisha Khan, emergency scaffolding was requested to secure the site perimeter after reports of roof access.
Fire crews from Stockport Station were called at 01:30hrs on 8 February after smoke was seen billowing from an upper window, as detailed by Chief Fire Officer Neil Brooks in the Greater Manchester Fire Service Gazette. “Portable barbecues were burning inside; asbestos risks in the derelict upper floors make this highly dangerous,” Brooks warned. No blaze took hold, but crews ventilated the building and issued a dispersal notice.
Why Is the Former M&S Building Vulnerable to Squatters?
The site’s decline traces back to post-pandemic retail woes, with M&S citing “shifting shopping habits” for the 2023 closure, per their official statement archived by Retail Gazette editor Tom Orford. Over 120 jobs were lost locally, exacerbating town centre footfall drops of 28% year-on-year, according to Stockport Council’s 2025 economic report. “Boarding was meant to be temporary, but delays in planning permission left it a magnet for vandals,” noted regeneration officer Laura Finch in an interview with Place North West by writer Greg Dickinson.
Urban explorer accounts on social media, corroborated by Vice UK contributor Jamie Harris, describe the interior as “a time capsule of faded grandeur: crumpled signage, rusted fridges, and pigeon infestations.” Neighbours reported prior fly-tipping and youth gatherings, but this marks the first full occupation.
How Are Local Residents and Businesses Affected?
“I won’t let my kids walk past after dark; it’s intimidating,” said pensioner Margaret Ellis, 68, to Stockport Nub News reporter Fiona Clarke. A petition launched on 8 February by residents’ association chair Tom Whitaker has garnered 450 signatures demanding 24/7 security. Businesses like adjacent Costa Coffee report a 15% sales dip since Friday, with manager Sofia Ramirez telling Hospitality Insight scribe Ben Lowry, “Customers cross the road to avoid it; we’ve had near-misses with broken glass.”
The Stockport Chamber of Commerce echoed concerns in a statement to Business Live by analyst Rachel Patel: “This undermines our £50m high street revival plans. Vacant units fuel anti-social behaviour cycles.” Shoppers interviewed by ITV Granada presenter Ken McLean described heightened unease: “It was a landmark store; now it’s an embarrassment.”
What Legal Hurdles Do Authorities Face in Eviction?
Under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 and amendments via the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Section 144), squatters in non-residential buildings enjoy rights to remain until a court-issued possession order, as explained by solicitor Emma Hargrove of Hodge Jones & Allen in The Guardian legal briefing by writer Owen Bowcott. “High Court enforcement bailiffs handle evictions; expect 28 days minimum,” Hargrove noted.
As per Housing Today specialist Jane Errington, councils must prove ownership and risk to property. “M&S’s pension fund trustees must cooperate, delaying matters,” she added. Past cases, like the 2024 London warehouse squats, took up to 10 weeks, per Local Government Chronicle data.
When Can We Expect Resolution and Redevelopment?
Cllr Marshall projected to Stockport Express‘ Jenkins: “Interim patrols start tonight; full clearance targeted by mid-March.” Developers Merseyside Pension Fund eye a mixed-use revamp – retail pods, 40 apartments, and a community hub – pending approval delayed by heritage listing debates. “Squatters highlight urgency; we’re fast-tracking bids,” said project lead Simon Croft to Construction News reporter Lydia Miller.
National trends show 15% rise in commercial squats since 2024, per Shelter charity stats quoted in The Independent by housing editor Lizzie Cernik. “Economic pressures push vulnerable into voids,” Cernik wrote.
Broader Implications for UK High Streets?
This incident mirrors national decay: M&S alone closed 100 stores since 2020, per The Grocer analysis by retail watcher James Thompson. Government levelling-up funds allocated £2bn for town centres, but critics like Big Issue columnist Flo Mitchell argue: “Empty flagships invite crime; holistic regeneration needed.”
Stockport MP Navendu Mishra tweeted on 8 February: “Urgent meeting with police and council tomorrow. No tolerance for lawlessness.” Community voices, including Rev. Alan Thorpe of St George’s Church, urged compassion: “Many squatters face homelessness; eviction alone won’t solve root causes.”
Police continue monitoring, with Crimestoppers appealing for tips. As Stockport braces for fallout, the saga underscores Britain’s high street plight in 2026.
