HIGH Street giants Marks & Spencer has drawn the curtains on their 72-year reign in a Kent town.

The retail heavyweights closed the doors in their store on Chatham High Street for the final time on Saturday in an emotional day for staff and customers.

Store manager Shelley Robins said: "It’s been a bit of a sad affair but we tried to treat the day as a celebration, to remember what this store has been and what it’s meant to the customers.

"The customers have been very supportive and have shown a genuine concern and interest in the future of the staff. But all the staff have still got jobs and are just being relocated to other stores."

Tracy Bass, 48, from Chatham regularly used the store, she said: "The High Street won’t be the same without M&S. I’ve always found it the best place to shop."

Shaun Russell, 35, was also sad to see the store close: "It’s sad to see it go, but it seems to be the trend around here at the moment."

The vacant property will now be put up for sale.