M&S plans a 'Magic' Christmas

HIGH STREET retailer Marks & Spencer is planning a 'Magic & Sparkle' Christmas to put its woes behind it. Gold lingerie, sexy sequin tops and the Harry Potter gift range will be part of its festive blitz.

The store has spent seven months working on secret plans to banish the ghost of Christmases past, when sales were dismally disappointing. Its sales drive will be headed by marketing executive Carol Stockill, dubbed 'Christmas Carol' or 'Mother Christmas' by her colleagues.

Chairman Luc Vandevelde and other top executives will man the counters in person to back up the Christmas push.

Stockill, 43, said: 'We are reflecting on the lessons learned last year and focusing on what the customer really wants.' Out go the reindeer jumpers - in come the lingerie and sequins.

'Magic & Sparkle' is its Christmas slogan. Stockill wants every department oozing with festive spirit, with brighter decorations, new wrapping paper and Xmas carrier bags. 'We want to create a festive feel throughout the store,' she said.

The retail giant, which has been losing shoppers and sales for the past three years, knows it cannot afford to get things wrong. Clothing sales are starting to stabilise, but full recovery is a long way off.

Last year, chairman and chief executive Vandevelde promised it would be the 'best Christmas ever', but sales flopped. If that happens again, the clamour for Vandevelde's head will restart.

Marks has printed 7m million gift catalogues and will have an extra 20,000 sales staff in the shops - 3,000 more than usual. Vandevelde, retail boss Roger Holmes and 2,000 head office staff will also work shifts.

It sounds like an opportunity for customers to tell the top brass just what they think.