A retired M&S cook who spent a quarter of a century serving up lunches to staff has revisited the store for a final time.

Marjorie Guard, 98, worked in the kitchen at the Deal High Street shop from 1956 and 1981.

In a trip organised by her friend Jill Solley, she was given a special one hour tour of the premises, led by clothes and home manager Nicola Marsh, last Wednesday ahead of its closure on Saturday.

Describing the outing as "lovely" she noted how much the building and its operations have changed since she retired 38 years ago.

She said: "They showed me the kitchen where I used to work and I can hardly imagine it now.

"Now, they get a cup off the wall and help themselves. They have to wash their dishes themselves and put them away. There's no cooked meals now, they have microwaves."

All the staff paid was one threepence each for a three course dinner - Marjorie Guard

Ms Guard had been working as domestic staff at Deal Hospital when she saw an advert for a cook in the East Kent Mercury in 1956.

Having secured the job, she worked full time from 7.30am until 5.30pm with a half day on Thursday and Sundays off.

She would rustle up dishes such as meat pie, fish and chips and liver for the workers with help from two assistants, one who would help in the morning and another in the afternoon.

She said: "I had a blue book that Marks gave me which I had to follow.

"All they [staff] paid was one threepence each for a three course dinner.

"They'd get soup, a roast and a sweet and I cooked all the bread, cakes and rolls myself.

"I used to get many complements."

The pensioner who now resides at St Winifreds Care Centre in London Road, Deal, says she was particularly proud to have served Simon Marks, 1st Baron Marks of Broughton, who built up the iconic British business.

She said: "He came to inspect the shop. Once he just had coffee and twice he had lunch.

"He was very short, lovely and polite.

"I stood up to say 'Good morning Sir' and he said 'Sit down at once'."

While she enjoyed her time there, Ms Guard recalls it would get so hot during the summer months, that she's dart off for a swim in the sea during her lunch break.

She added: "It was a good place to work. Back then, you had your health, teeth, hair and feet all included.

"Everyone enjoyed it and it was a lot of fun.

"If it wasn't for Lord Marks I wouldn't have had so many nice holidays."

She received a silver locket as a retirement gift from her colleagues which she still wears around her neck and has continued to shop at the store since she left.

She said: "It was terrible news when I heard [it was closing].

"I was amazed because it's always busy.

"I felt terrible for the girls too. I know they've found them other jobs but they still have to travel.

"Deal is going to miss it."

Marks & Spencer closes its High Street store on Saturday after 82 years trading in Deal.

It follows a failed campaign by customers to keep the store open including an unusual spate of vandalism on the shop window.

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