SINGAPORE - Robinsons' sister brand Marks & Spencer will not be closing its outlet at Raffles City Shopping Centre despite having said last year it would be doing so on the last day of 2020.

The lease at Raffles City was signed under Robinsons, which announced its exit from Singapore last October after 162 years of operation.

"While we were initially reviewing our Raffles City Shopping Centre store, through our long-term partnership with CapitaLand, we're delighted to continue serving customers at this store," a Marks & Spencer spokesman told The Straits Times on Tuesday (Jan 19).

Robinsons, which also had an outlet in the same mall, closed its doors there on Jan 9.

The British retailer had announced its exit from Raffles City with a "moving out sale" advertisement in The Straits Times last December.

Its earnings had been on the decline in recent years. The after-tax profit in 2018 was $101,613, down from $2.9 million the previous year.

Marks & Spencer and Robinsons were part of the Dubai-based Al-Futtaim group, owned by Emirati tycoon Abdulla Al Futtaim and run by his son Omar, according to Forbes.

The Business Times reported last month that besides shuttering Robinsons, the company had sold sports retailer Royal Sporting House to a UAE-based company - Gulf Marketing Group.

There are 11 Marks & Spencer stores in Singapore, including a pop-up unit at Waterway Point. The Raffles City branch has been open for more than 34 years and is one of its longest-running outlets here.

The spokesman declined to say what prompted the change of plans, but added: "We're committed to offering the best shopping experience and responding to our customers' needs.

"As part of that, we continually review our estate to ensure our stores are located in the right places."