A department store that holds a generation of memories will be deeply missed.

Marks & Spencer department store in High Road, Wood Green, has stood on the busy shopping parade for 77 years but faces closure.

M&S bosses have assessed the shop as no longer financially viable and proposals have been put forward to close it down.

Great grandmother Katherine Phelan, 78, who worked in every department of the store over an 18 and a half year career has spoken of her memories and fondness of “Marks”.

She said: “I am real sad that Marks is going to be closed, it’ll be a terribly sad day when it goes. I knew when they closed the top part the bottom wouldn’t survive.

“Whatever replaces that shop it will never be the same or mean as much as what has been there for all those years.”

Mrs Phelan began working in M&S Wood Green in 1977 and eventually left in the 1996 after working in every part of the store from food to footwear as well as men’s, women’s and children’s wear.

She said: “I loved working there, I preferred the men’s department because they were so easy to please whereas the women were always much fussier.

“When the men came in they knew exactly what they wanted, not like the girls.

“I feel lucky to have been given the opportunity to work there in the first place and to have had the experiences and friendships I found there.”

Other shoppers spoke of their fond memories of the shop, affectionately referred to as Marks and Sparks.

Grandmother Karen Waloschek said: “Whenever we came to England to visit my Grandma, we'd go to the Wood Green M&S to stock up on knickers, vests and lambswool jumpers. It was a ritual and tradition.”

Bar supervisor Sarah Bassett added: “It seems like a real shame.

“What with the C&As and Woolworths of the high street already long gone, the M&S is one of the last traditional stores in Wood Green.

“It's a large branch so I can understand the financial situation, but it'd be nice to have one of the smaller M&S stores instead as a compromise. That or a nice restaurant, there aren’t many of those around here if you think about it.”

Marks & Spencer in Wood Greeb first opened its doors in 1938 but the company had been trading in the area since 1913 as a penny bazaar, recently celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2013.

A spokesman for M&S said: “After much consideration we have taken the difficult decision to propose the closure of the Wood Green store.

“We have been offering roles for all colleagues in nearby stores if the proposal goes ahead.”