Marks & Spencer has pulled out of plans to open a flagship store in Amsterdam two months after the departure of Dutch boss Marc Bolland.
The retailer planned to open a 65,660 sq ft Amsterdam flagship in The Rokin in 2016.
However, Canadian department store group Hudson’s Bay Company is believed to be taking over the Rokin location instead.
A Marks & Spencer spokeswoman told Dutch News: “The plans have changed considerably since we first looked at the store and this has provoked interest from other parties. We’ve accepted an offer we couldn’t turn down as a result.”
Expansion into the Netherlands was part of an international drive led by Bolland, who was replaced by Steve Rowe last month.
M&S returned to the Netherlands in 2013, launching a dedicated website and opening a multichannel boutique on Amsterdam’s Kalverstraat.
The retailer opened a 51,670 sq ft store in The Hague in 2014.
The decision to sell the Rokin site comes after M&S ended its alliance selling food with six BP stations around the country because of poor sales.
Earlier this week, M&S restructured responsibilities among its senior team and created a new, smaller operating committee as it seeks to focus better on customers.
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