Marks & Spencer's gulf region Master Franchisee Al Futtaim Group has opened a 64,000 sqft outlet in Dubai, the largest M&S store outside the UK. The store, which is reported to have required a Dh30 million investment, brings the number of M&S sites in the gulf region to nine (five of which are in the UAE), with further stores set to open in Kuwait and Qatar in the next two years (for a further investment of Dh50 million on the part of Al Futtaim Group).

"Sales generated from new openings will help Al Futtaim's retail arm double its turnover to Dh2 billion in the next three years," says its Group Retail Director Jim McCallum. "We've been running M&S since 1998, so this store is the execution of the wisdom we have accumulated over the years. If we get some things wrong here we will have to react, but I honestly don't think we've got much wrong -the ranges look fantastic."