Marks & Spencer’s new Foodhall at Fox Valley in Sheffield has been pushed back to January, after originally being scheduled to open this autumn.

The multi-million-pound store at the Stocksbridge retail centre has reached a key construction milestone, with builders handing over the keys to M&S. However, the unit still needs to be fitted out before it can open to customers.

The new Foodhall will occupy a 22,742 sq ft unit, including a 16,000 sq ft sales area. It will stock M&S’ full food range, spanning Remarksable Value essentials and Eat Well products through to its latest launches.

The store will also feature an in-store bakery, dedicated Flower and Wine shops, fresh produce from M&S Select Farm partners and a Click & Collect point for fashion, home and beauty orders.

The opening is expected to create around 50 jobs, with M&S already recruiting for the new roles. The retailer currently employs more than 4,000 people across Yorkshire.

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The Foodhall will complete the eastern end of Fox Valley’s retail line-up, joining Home Bargains, Iceland, Aldi and Costa Coffee.

James Shepherd, managing director of Fox Valley owner Dransfield Properties, said the development marked an “exciting next chapter” for the centre as it enters its second decade.

The delay follows the development reaching its steelwork milestone in June, when the Foodhall was still expected to open in autumn. Planning permission for the store was granted in January, with construction beginning in spring.

The January opening will mark M&S’ latest investment in expanding its food store estate, as the retailer continues to develop larger Foodhall formats across the UK.

M&S recently confirmed plans to increase the size of its Food business and encourage more shoppers to use the retailer for their full weekly grocery shop, rather than predominantly for treats and top-up purchases.