CLOSING TIME
‘Another big shop gone’ from high street as major department store set to close branch within days
A MAJOR department store is set to close up a shop in days, in another blow to the high street.
House of Fraser is closing another of its shops on Monday, with a second to close at the end of next month.
1
The department store chain confirmed to The Sun that its store in Solihull will close on August 28.
A spokesperson for Frasers Group commented “It is with regret that we announce House of Fraser Solihull is planned to close this month.
"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 all staff.”
READ MORE IN MONEY
Earlier this month the store advertised a 20% off closing down sale, although social media posts indicate that this has since increased to 60%.
One user said: "Sad times for house of Fraser in Solihull it’s shutting down but some mega bargains to be had, two Barbour jackets really cheap for me and the wife an unbelievable 60% off them."
While other local residents were disappointed that their area was losing another big name brand.
One wrote: "Solihull will become a ghost town."
Most read in Money
Another said: "Another big store gone."
A third commented: "So sad there’s nothing left in Solihull.
"Don’t go in there now."
While a fourth posted: "Another great store closing."
House of Fraser sells big brands like Calvin Klein, Superdry, Paul Smith and Ted Baker, so it's might be worth heading down before Monday to grab some bargains.
But remember, it's only a bargain if you were thinking of buying it anyway and you shouldn't buy something just because it's reduced.
Solihull's closure comes after House of Fraser closed two locations late last year as it battled to attract customers to its stores.
Another branch in Guildford will shut on Saturday, September 30.
The Frasers Group, which owns the chain, confirmed it had closed ten House of Fraser stores in the year to the end of April.
In February, the chain turned its store in Birmingham into an outlet and closed its store in the Howells building in Cardiff.
In January, it closed its department store in High Wycombe, two months after its store in Westfield Shepherd's Bush closed for the last time.
House of Fraser was saved from collapse by billionaire businessman Mike Ashley back in 2018.
But while the deal saved the chain's 59 stores and 17,000 workers who were facing the axe many more stores have closed in recent years and only 30 department stores remain.
The high street has been hit hard in recent years due to the growth of online shopping, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the same time the cost of living has been rising, leading to shoppers cutting back on non-essential spending.
Brick and mortar stores have also seen a lack of footfall due to consumer habits switching to online shopping.
Popular chains including M&Co and Paperchase closed all stores this year.
Most recently, bargain discounter Wilko fell into administration, putting 400 branches at risk.
Following the pandemic, businesses were struggling to bounce back anyway, only to then be hit by soaring energy bills.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Meanwhile, a major high street chain with 1,400 stores in the UK has confirmed a branch is to close at the end of this month.
Plus, here is the full list of shops closing down in August including B&M and Boots.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
You can also join our new Sun Money to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.
Topics