TEDDINGTON’S MARKS & SPENCER TO REDESIGN FRONTAGE

Marks & Spencer in Teddington’s High Street is redesigning its street-facing windows following pressure from The Teddington Society, we can exclusively reveal.

The move follows the Society writing a letter to the company complaining that the dark windows were not in keeping with the heritage of other buildings in the High Street.

A spokesperson told Teddington Town: “The planning group wrote to Marks and Spencer last year to request a review of the window displays in their High Street store.

“They have now advised us that plans are in place to redesign these windows.

“Many of the vinyl coverings will be removed – including the large advertising posters of food – while those that are necessary will be replaced with a more appropriate design for the location.

“We are very pleased with this response as the result should open up the shop and be more sympathetic to the conservation area and neighbouring High Street businesses.

“We thank Councillor Richard Baker and the council officers in the planning department for following up this campaign.”

The original letter said: “All of the windows on the street frontage are now covered with black vinyl and the window frames are also black.

“We understand the desire for images to promote the store’s produce but the building was designed  to fit in with the heritage buildings in the High Street and the unremitting black detracts from the window frame details and the overall look of the site.”

The Society’s planning group also wrote to the Head Office of Sainsbury’s to ask that the “‘exterior of the Sainsbury store in the High Street which is looking shabby, is redecorated.”

So far no response has been received.