Marks & Spencer will celebrate its 125th birthday next week by going back to its roots as a penny bazaar.
Two million items, ranging from jewellery and lingerie to leather goods and toys, are to be sold for just 1p each for three days from Wednesday 20 May in all 300 of M&S' main stores.
The collection, which will consist of 20 pieces, includes lace trim knickers (which usually retail at £3), polka-dot scarves (normally £12) and teardrop earring and necklace sets (usually £9.50), as well as leather passport holders, commemorative cufflinks, silk ties and beach balls.
In a throwback to the era when the store was established, the British high street giant will mark the anniversary by turning back the clock to 1884 when Marks & Spencer co-founder Michael Marks started the company as a market stall in a Leeds penny bazaar.
M&S chairman Sir Stuart Rose said, ''It's been a tough year for us all but people are fed up with being fed up and we wanted to give our customers a real treat. What better way to share our birthday with our customers than offering them the chance to choose M&S products for just one penny?"
Not only will shoppers be bagging some bargains but you'll be doing your bit for charity too, with all the money raised from the bazaars going to the M&S 125 Charity Challenge, which supports a range of local and regional organisations.
The Marks & Spencer penny bazaar events start on Wednesday 20 May, with an official launch at London's Marble Arch flagship store, where model Twiggy will open the doors. Customers can choose up to five items each.
Picture: Pieces from the M&S penny bazaar collection.
marksandspencer.com
