Star shoppers cut it at M&S re-launch

By gtoulson

ALMOST 40 years after they petitioned to get a Marks & Spencer store here, two Tamworth women were invited to the opening of the newly extended Ventura Park store.

Maureen Foster, from Wilnecote, and Jean Taylor, from Two Gates, helped store manager Zoe Gibbard cut the ribbon at 8am last Thursday.

And despite many rumours that Take That were set to attend, we can confirm that the fab foursome were not there on the day.

Maureen and Jean were the only people given full VIP treatment on Thursday when hundreds of shoppers flocked to the 58,000sq ft store.

"It will be one of the most memorable days of my life," Maureen told the Herald.

"It was such a surprise – to think that we did the petition in 1969. My son was two at the time, he's 42 now.

"We had personal shoppers, it was wonderful."

Marks & Spencer tracked Maureen and Jean down through the Herald's letters pages as they were special guests when the store first opened two years ago.

* Tamworth Herald, December 11, 2008, edition.