LUXURY food retailer M&S is lining up a move into a south Cumbria town, the Evening Mail can exclusively reveal.

The high street giant is said to be assessing a site in the market town of Ulverston.

Bosses at the firm are remaining tight-lipped about the location of what, it is believed, could be an M&S Food.

But they have confirmed an interest in the town, which has a Booths supermarket along with smaller Co-op and Tesco Express stores.

An M&S spokesman said: “We are always looking for new store locations so that we can best serve our customers.

"While we are interested in bringing a new store to Ulverston, we don’t have any further details to confirm at present.”

The last supermarket chain to express a strong interest in Ulverston was Sainsbury's, which went as far as naming a site for the proposed development, releasing computer generated images of what it might be like and applying for permission to build.

That proposal was thrown out by planners who, at the same time, approved plans for a supermarket at the old brewery site in Ulverston. They appear to have stalled, with no confirmed interest from a major brand in opening there.

The move could come as a blow to independent retailers in the town. Many are jam-packed during the lunchtime rush, or depend on weekend customers coming to do their weekly shop.

But one business owner is relishing the challenge, having seen off numerous newcomers during his four decades behind the till.

Ray Brocklebank, who owns the greengrocer Brocklebank's in Market Street, Ulverston, said: "To be honest, it doesn't bother me. We've been here 40 years now and I've survived seven supermarkets within eight miles opening.

"It's always business, and competition is competition."

Mr Brocklebank is confident that in spite of any new shops opening, his loyal customer base will keep returning.

He said: "I feel that we do our job right and people respond to that.

"Business is business, I started out 40 years ago, let them come."

The veteran retailer is keen to see a shop that stays local and doesn't drive shoppers away from the area.

He said: "Let them get on with it, but in town would be good, it keeps people in the town."

Yesterday M&S handed a reprieve to its store in Barrow, announcing that it would not be closed, choosing instead to close six other branches in other parts of the country.