Legendary department store confirms ANOTHER closure as shoppers warn ‘there’s going to be nothing left’
ANOTHER legendary department store has left high street shoppers devastated after the company revealed it is to close its doors for the final time.
Locals of the last remaining branch in the north-east have been left “heartbroken” and “depressed” with the decline of retail options right before the run-up to Christmas.
Former staff members at the House of Fraser branch in Darlington have already acknowledged the impact of the store’s imminent closure.
One took to social media to say: “I have such wonderful memories working here.
“I had the pleasure of working with some truly amazing people here. Regular customers who I still speak to when I see in town and of course where I met the husband.
“It’s such a shame.”
Whilst a second added: “Oh nooooo started my working life there.
“So sad for Darlington and all the staff.”
The news quickly reached locals via a social media post that has already gained 600 reactions, 351 comments and 130 shares.
A flurry of fans flocked to the comments section on Facebook to express their dismay and concern over the fast-approaching December closure.
One user put: “Another nail in the town centre coffin.”
Another wrote: “Another shop gone!! The town is fast disappearing. Used to be a great town centre, sadly not now!”
Whilst someone else said: “Sad to see another iconic shop close in a town.”
A fourth commented: “Why do they always close places just before xmas!!”
It comes amidst the spate of high-street stores rolling down their shutters for the final time across the nation as shoppers opt for online sales rather than heading by foot.
The lease of the former Binns store, on High Row, which is now Darlington’s flagship of the chain, has been terminated by the landlord.
Whilst the site has been relisted by Cited, a commercial property adviser, with a £1 million price tag.
It remains on the site and is yet to be sold.
According to the brand’s website, there are only 13 House of Fraser branches left in England compared to the 59 before going into administration.
This does not include the further five stores, under the re-hashed brand, Frasers, that was introduced last month.
In a desperate attempt to retain the town’s offering to buyers, the Darlington Council deputy leader, Chris McEwan, has revealed that the health of the centre is a “top priority”.
He told The Northern Echo that the news was “extremely disappointing” and an “end of an era”.
Bargain hunters in the area have already spotted huge clearance posters being put up in the store’s windows suggesting that “everything must go”.
A spokesperson for Frasers Group commented, “It is with regret that we announce House of Fraser Darlington will be closing in December 2024, due to the landlord’s decision to terminate the lease as they require the unit back before Christmas.
“Our customers can continue to shop the world’s most aspirational brands at Frasers.com, or access more brands from the Group’s ecosystem at Sports Direct Darlington and FLANNELS Darlington at the Cornmill Shopping Centre.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff for their hard work and dedication. Where possible, we are committed to finding new roles within the Group for staff.”
Why are retailers closing shops?
EMPTY shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of a town centre’s decline.
The Sun’s business editor Ashley Armstrong explains why so many retailers are shutting their doors.
In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping.
Falling store sales and rising staff costs have made it even more expensive for shops to stay open. In some cases, retailers are shutting a store and reopening a new shop at the other end of a high street to reflect how a town has changed.
The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing.
Retail parks are increasingly popular with shoppers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils have hiked parking charges in towns.
Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead.
Boss Stuart Machin recently said that when it relocated a tired store in Chesterfield to a new big store in a retail park half a mile away, its sales in the area rose by 103 per cent.
In some cases, stores have been shut when a retailer goes bust, as in the case of Wilko, Debenhams Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Paperchase to name a few.
What’s increasingly common is when a chain goes bust a rival retailer or private equity firm snaps up the intellectual property rights so they can own the brand and sell it online.
They may go on to open a handful of stores if there is customer demand, but there are rarely ever as many stores or in the same places.