Abracadabra and “now you see it – now you don’t” have long been used to add a bit of zing to magical illusions on stage.

It wasn’t quite the same when Marks and Spencer appeared to announce the closure of its prestigious superstore at Union Square in Aberdeen, but retracted it quickly in a puff of smoke.

It was also a “now you see it, now you don’t” kind of illusion, which was over in a flash.

The news appeared on an M&S staff website for Aberdeen and vanished within minutes after being deleted hurriedly, but brought the house down.

Quite a performance, but lacking any magical delight for the audience.

The opposite, in fact: loyal M&S-goers were gripped by a state of alarm more in keeping with people whose world had caved in suddenly.

I’m one of them, too.

I’ve stayed loyal to M&S even though they once dismissed a complaint of mine out of hand.

I told them with as much indignation as I could muster that there were no chicken chunks in their “chunky........

© The Press & Journal