British fare purists, rejoice - the first store solely devoted to M&S has opened in the UAE. Marks and Spencer (M&S) zealots have been watching empty store spaces across the Marina since April, when the store's inception was first teased. The hallowed aisles stocked high with M&S-only branded products has long been celebrated by many a British expat. But M&S devotees have up until now had to traipse to one of their department stores and wade through aisles of clothes and cosmetics before finding the small section of shelves stocked with the much-loved British food. This is the first time in the region there's been an outlet devoted solely to M&S's edible items. Located next-door to Spinneys on Marina Walk, the store seems to be almost a carbon copy of its British counterparts, full of the chickpea curries, shortbread, M&S Belgian chocolate milkshakes and bakery items the Brits wax lyrical over. And if you just can't wait on the walk home to rip open your grocery bags, the shop has an adjoining cafe, so you can enjoy all those baked goods and hot meals twice in one day. M&S operates hundreds of its Simply Food outlets across the UK. In the UAE, the shop is branded simply 'Marks & Spencer Food'. In April, M&S executive director told Dubai Eye that the UAE would be home to the region's first stand-alone M&S food store. At the time, he said it would open in a matter of weeks, and gave its location as Dubai Marina without narrowing down exactly where we could rush to for our daily fix of Welsh cakes. The store will be open from 10am to 10pm during the week, and 10am to midnight on weekends. ______________ <strong>Read more:</strong> ______________