HIGH street retailer Marks and Spencer marks 50 years of trading in Northern Ireland today.
The company opened its first store in Donegall Place on September 7 1967 and to celebrate the retailer's milestone 50th anniversary a series of events are held in the Belfast city centre store.
Food tastings and styling sessions are among the events while customers can also visit a temporary exhibition featuring highlights from the Marks and Spencer archive including trends and artefacts from the last 50 years.
M&S traded fully throughout the Troubles and has since expanded to 20 stores employing 3,000 people.
New stores have recently been announced at Aldergrove and Carrickfergus, as well as a relocation of the Newry store to The Quays Shopping Complex.
The retailer also announced today it will open a new food hall in Craigavon next year.
Today, we're celebrating 50 years in Northern Ireland! We’re proud to have been great friends through the years. Here’s to 50 more! pic.twitter.com/sVwhtk9fcI
— M&S (@marksandspencer) September 7, 2017