New Malden high street will be getting a Marks and Spencer food store early next year, after the retailer confirmed plans to open.

A petition from Kingston Independent Residents Group (KIRG) Cllr Yvonne Tracey calling for an M&S to open on New Malden High Street was previously signed by more than 1,000 people.

The petition said the high street had been bouncing back since the Covid-19 pandemic, with new venues opening, but that it needed to strengthen its retail offering.

Cllr Tracey launched the petition following the closure of Wilko on the high street on September 14 to "demonstrate the strength of feeling locally" about having a "strong retail offer" in New Malden.

Cllr Tracey said, in the petition, that locals had always told her they would love to have an M&S in New Malden. She said every person who signed the petition would demonstrate that an M&S in the neighbourhood would be "well-used".

M&S has now confirmed it will open a new food store on the high street early next year. Cllr Tracey told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "This is terrific news for our high street and I'd like to thank everyone who made their voice heard loud and clear with our petition.

"We knew at the time M&S were interested in opening in New Malden, but we also knew they hadn't formally committed to opening a site.

"To now hear they've signed on the dotted line and committed to opening at the former Tudor Williams site is fantastic news for our high street and the community."

Department store Tudor Williams closed in New Malden in 2019 after 106 years on the high street.

Independent cllr James Giles said on X, formerly Twitter, that more than 1,000 people had signed the petition. He said the new M&S store would open on the ground floor of the former Tudor Williams building.

Cllr Giles added: "This is a real boost for our high street. Even if you won't personally be shopping there, I'm hopeful it'll be a chain reaction with other shops opening given the higher footfall an M&S will bring."

An M&S spokesperson told the LDRS: "We're delighted to confirm that a brand-new M&S food store will be opening on New Malden High Street in early 2024. We will be sure to keep the local community updated as our plans progress."