Electricals retailer Currys has taken over the lease for the former Marks & Spencer Lifestore at Lakeside in Thurrock, which has proved ill-fated for retailers.

Currys has signed the lease on the store, hoping to shake off the curse. The shop was due to be the site of the third branch of Marks & Spencer’s Lifestore homewares concept in 2004. The store never opened after the concept was shelved following a bid approach from Sir Philip Green.

The lease was then taken over by Danish furniture chain Ilva, which opened to much fanfare in 2006. Ilva never took off in the UK and collapsed into administration in June.

Currys parent DSG International confirmed it has taken the 100,000 sq ft lease. A spokesman told The Telegraph: “Firstly, this makes us third time lucky and, secondly, this will be a huge concept store. If that can’t do it, then nothing can.”

Currys has taken the shop in a bid to counter the UK debut of Best Buy. The US retailer has signed for its first two UK shops in Thurrock and Hedge End, near Southampton.

Marks & Spencer’s Lifestore concept was dubbed ‘Death-store’ after it pulled the plug following a high profile launch in Gateshead.  

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