House of Fraser explained

House of Fraser Limited
Frasers Limited
Type:Subsidiary
Founded:Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Founder:Hugh Fraser
James Arthur
Location:London, England, UK
Num Locations:27 (14: House Of Fraser) (13: Frasers)
Area Served:United Kingdom and Ireland
Industry:Retail
Genre:Department store
Products:Clothing, footwear, cosmetics, jewellery, perfume, toys
Revenue: £363.5 million (2022)
Operating Income: £142.5 million (2022)
Net Income: £20.657 million (2022)
Num Employees:6,000 direct
11,500 concession
Parent:Frasers Group

House of Fraser and Frasers are a British department store chain with 25 locations across the United Kingdom and 2 in Ireland, part of Frasers Group. It was established in Glasgow, Scotland in 1849 as Arthur and Fraser. By 1891, it was known as Fraser & Sons. The company grew steadily during the early 20th century and in 1936 began a period of growth through acquisition which would continue for over forty years. House of Fraser Ltd was incorporated in 1941 and first listed on the London Stock Exchange six years later.

After the Second World War a large number of acquisitions transformed the company into a national chain. Purchases included Scottish Drapery Corporation (1952), Binns (1953), Barkers of Kensington (1957) and the Harrods group (1959). Later acquisitions included J J Allen (1969), Dingles (1971), Howells of Cardiff (1972) and Army & Navy Stores (1973).

The group was purchased by the Al Fayed family in 1985 for £615 million, beating out Tiny Rowland for control.[1] By 1993, the management of the group were making attempts to purchase the group from the Al Fayeds, and a floatation was agreed, with the group initially trading separately as House of Fraser Holdings with the Fayed group.[1]

The public float happened in 1995, when it was listed in the FTSE Index as House of Fraser plc, with Harrods moved into the private ownership of the Al Fayeds.

In the 1990s, several stores were closed and fifteen stores transferred to a joint venture with British Land Company, which then continued operating under their old name. The former Harrods group store D H Evans on Oxford Street, London was re-branded as House of Fraser in 2001 and became the chain's flagship store.[2]

In 2005, the group acquired Jenners (£46m), and Beatties (£69m). In 2006, the firm was acquired by a consortium of investors (Highland Group Holdings) including Icelandic based Landsbanki (35%). An online store was launched in 2007. In 2014, the group (as Highland Group Holdings Ltd) was sold to Nanjing Xinjiekou Department Store Co. (Sanpower Group), a leading chain of Chinese department stores for approximately £450 million.[3] In May 2018, the group entered a company voluntary arrangement, and in June the closure of 31 stores was announced. On 10 August 2018, Mike Ashley's Sports Direct chain agreed to buy the business (stores, stock, brand) for £90 million after the chain went into administration earlier that day.

In 2021, a new House of Fraser brand opened in Wolverhampton's Mander Centre named Frasers. A brainchild of Frasers Group owner Mike Ashley, this store is the "Harrods of the High Street".[4] The store comprises several Frasers Group brands: Frasers, Sports Direct, FLANNELS, Evans Cycles, GAME and BELONG.[5] Several former House of Fraser stores have been converted to the Frasers format since the opening of its Wolverhampton flagship. In 2023, Frasers launched its own website, frasers.com, after operating out of House of Fraser's website for two years.

In October 2023, Frasers Group CEO Michael Murray said that House of Fraser would completely convert to the Frasers brand over time, and the House of Fraser brand would disappear from the high street.[6]

History

The early years

The company was founded by Hugh Fraser and James Arthur in 1849 as a small drapery shop on the corner of Argyle Street and Buchanan Street in Glasgow, Scotland trading as Arthur and Fraser.[7] Hugh Fraser had been apprenticed to Stewart & McDonald Ltd, a Glasgow drapery warehouse where he eventually rose to the position of warehouse manager. It was from here that he brought many of his new company's initial customers.[7] James Arthur also owned a retail drapery business in Paisley, a Greater Glasgow suburb: he appointed a manager to oversee the Paisley business while he focused on his new business.[7]

The company established a wholesale trade in adjoining premises in Argyle Street. In 1856 the wholesale business moved to a larger site in Miller Street, Glasgow, and started to trade under the name Arthur & Co. The retail side of the business expanded into the vacant buildings left by the wholesale side.[7]

During the late 1850s and early 1860s, the retail business was run by a professional manager – first Thomas Kirkpatrick and then Alexander McLaren.[7] In 1865 the partnership between the partners was dissolved and Fraser assumed control of the retail business leaving Arthur with the wholesale business. In 1865 McLaren joined the retail business and the name was changed to Fraser & McLaren.[7]

Fraser & Sons

When the first Hugh Fraser died in 1873, his three eldest sons, James, John and Hugh, acquired stakes in the business. James and John Fraser were initially directors in the business and employed Alexander McLaren and later John Towers to manage it for them. In 1891 Hugh also joined the partnership which by then was called Fraser & Sons.[7]

In 1879, the current flagship store on Oxford Street in London was opened by Dan Harries Evans, a 23-year-old from Whitemill in Carmarthenshire, Wales who had previously been apprenticed to a draper in Forest Hamlet near Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. He moved to London in 1878 to set up his own business in Westminster Bridge Road. The store traded under the D H Evans name until 2001.[7]

By 1900, Hugh Fraser II was in charge: he incorporated the business as Fraser & Sons Ltd in 1909 and introduced the famous stag's head motif.[7]

After Hugh Fraser II died in 1927, his son Hugh Fraser III, an accountant, became chairman of the business.[7] He opened new departments, enlarged the tearoom, opened a restaurant and also began to look at possible acquisitions.[7] In 1936 he purchased Arnott & Co Ltd and its neighbour Robert Simpson & Sons Ltd in nearby Argyle Street, merging the companies to help improve trade.[7] In 1948 the company, now named House of Fraser, was first listed on the London Stock Exchange.[7]

1950s to 1970s

In 1951, the Company purchased McDonald's Ltd, and with it a branch in Harrogate. Fraser then purchased the Scottish Drapery Corporation in 1952, followed by the Sunderland based Binns group of stores in 1953.[7]

Fraser sold the property sites to insurance companies, leasing them back for long terms at advantageous rates. This enabled the release of capital for the purchase of new premises and the modernisation of existing stores. In 1957, the Kensington store group of John Barker & Co Ltd was acquired and in 1959 Harrods[7] and Dickins & Jones[8] also joined the Group.

Sir Hugh Fraser succeeded his father as chairman of the company when his father died in 1966.[7] Sir Hugh resumed the expansion of the company in 1969 with the takeover of J. J. Allen Ltd, a Bournemouth based group, also including Colsons of Exeter and Brights of Bristol and Bournemouth.[7]

During the 1970s, the House of Fraser Group acquired more companies including T. Baird & Sons Ltd of Scotland, Switzer & Co. Ltd of Dublin, Ireland, and E. Dingle & Co. Ltd, Chiesmans Ltd, Hide & Co and the Army & Navy Stores in southern England, as well as a number of independent stores, totaling over fifty stores during the decade.[7] In 1973, the House of Fraser Group was considering merging with the British pharmacy company Boots, and was even subject to a written answer in the House of Commons.[9] The government decided to block the proposed merger in 1974.[10]

1980–1985

In 1981, Roland Smith succeeded Sir Hugh Fraser as chairman. A takeover bid by Lonrho was referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission and declared to be contrary to the public interest.[7] Four new stores opened between 1980 and 1984,[7] including D H Evans in Wood Green, North London in 1980, Dickins & Jones in Milton Keynes in 1981, Frasers in Perth in April 1984, and Army & Navy in Epsom, Surrey in May 1984.[11]

The company, by then House of Fraser PLC, diversified into sports goods under the name of Astral Sports and Leisure (subsequently sold to Sears plc, owned Olympus Sport division) and into funerals with Wylie & Lochhead. It also launched the 'You' range of cosmetics and jewellery shops, and in 1985 acquired Turnbull & Asser Holdings Ltd, shirt makers of Jermyn Street, London and Kurt Geiger Holdings Ltd, shoe retailers.[7] Other developments during the 1980s included the introduction of "Lifestyle" merchandise ranges and a huge investment in store refurbishment nationwide. In 1983 the Company introduced the Frasercard (later renamed Recognition), valid at all stores, and administered from a central facility based in Swindon.[7]

1985–2006: Al Fayed ownership

In 1985, the Al Fayed family bought the business for £615 million. The Al Fayeds supported the continuing expansion of the company and replaced the stag's head logo with a stag leaping from a green triangle with shop signs of this period using a double-layered sans-serif typeface.[7] [12] In 1988, a five-year strategic business plan was announced which saw a rationalisation of stores. Small branches were to be relinquished and replaced with larger units.

In September 1990, two new department stores were opened, a House of Fraser in the Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield, and Schofields in Leeds. In 1991, a new House of Fraser store was opened at the Lakeside Shopping Centre in West Thurrock, Essex.

In 1994, before House of Fraser PLC was relisted on the London Stock Exchange, Harrods was moved out of the Group so that it could remain under the private ownership of the Al Fayed family.[7] John Coleman, who was appointed chief executive of the House of Fraser Group in 1996, launched the Linea brand in 1997, along with Platinum and Fraser the following year.[7] The House of Fraser logo was revised in 1996 with the leaping stag now going over an "F" shadow and shop signs using a serif typeface.[12] There were many store closures in this period which included the closure or selling off of branches in locations including Sheffield (House of Fraser), Newcastle (Binns), Sunderland (Binns), Bradford (Rackhams) and Leeds (Schofields which had closed only six years after opening although House of Fraser continued to have a presence with their Rackhams (now House of Fraser store) in the city) with the loss of around 1,000 jobs.[13]

House of Fraser set up BL Fraser, a 50–50 joint venture with the British Land Company, in 1999 to buy 15 House of Fraser stores that would continue to be operated by House of Fraser.[14] The Company added to its private-label brands in 2000 with House of Fraser womenswear, The Collection menswear, and a Linea Home.[7]

In 2003, Tom Hunter put forward a hostile bid for the Group, with the possible intention to merge with Allders, another department store in which he had shareholdings.[15] In addition, there was a large reduction in the number of House of Fraser stores in Scotland which included the sell off or closure of branches in Aberdeen (Frasers), Dundee (Arnotts), Inverness (Frasers), Paisley (Arnotts) and Perth (Frasers).

In 2005, the House of Fraser acquired the four Jenners department stores in April for £46m,[16] and Beatties, a mainly Midlands based department store chain of 12 sites, for £69.3m in the summer of 2005.[17] In addition to buying companies, House of Fraser continued its own development programme and opened several more stores including its first store outside the UK (since the disposal of the Switzer business in Ireland in 1991) in Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin, Ireland.[18] as well as stores in Maidstone and Norwich.

In 2006, the Company consolidated its portfolio by closing the 135-year-old Barkers business in Kensington High Street on 2 January 2006.[19] and on 14 January 2006, closed its Dickins & Jones store in London's Regent Street following a substantial rent increase.[20] In addition, the Company closed its Birmingham Beatties store in January 2006 (although retained the House of Fraser store in Birmingham).[21]

2006–2014: Highland Group Holdings

In February 2006, the Group announced that it had received a preliminary bid approach valuing it at £300 million and, in August 2006, the House of Fraser confirmed a takeover approach from the Highland consortium who acquired the company for £351.4 million in November 2006.[22] Highland Group Holdings Limited was 35% owned by Landsbanki.[23] As part of the Highland takeover all brand names for their stores, including most of the Beatties branches, will be replaced with the House of Fraser name (with the exception of Jenners) with the stag logo axed and a new sans-serif typeface used on shop signs.[24]

In September 2007, House of Fraser launched its online store.[25]

The company had four major openings in 2008, including its first store in Northern Ireland in the newly built Victoria Square Shopping Centre, Belfast in March. At 120000square feet it was the largest store that House of Fraser had opened (as opposed to taken over) in the UK.[26] Also in March 2008, the Company opened a 95000square feet store in High Wycombe. On 25 September 2008 the Company opened a 100000square feet store in the Cabot Circus development in Bristol,[27] and a branch in Westfield London, a new 70000square feet store, on 30 October 2008.[28]

House of Fraser launched the HouseofFraser.com "Buy & Collect" concept shop in October 2011 with its first location in Aberdeen. A further site, in Liverpool, opened in 2012.[29] These small shops were equipped with computer terminals to allow customers to order from the House of Fraser website. Both shops had closed by the summer of 2016.

In December 2013, talks to takeover House of Fraser were held by French department store Galeries Lafayette with House of Fraser also exploring a floating on the London Stock Exchange once more in the summer of 2014 if the takeover was to be abandoned.[30]

2014–2018: Sanpower Group ownership

In April 2014, it was reported by BBC News that House of Fraser would be sold to Chinese conglomerate Sanpower Group, who would obtain 89% share in the company which would value the business at about £450 million.[31] Nanjing Xinjiekou Department Store Co will buy an 89% stake in Highland Group Holdings Ltd, which owns House of Fraser.[32] The purchase was worth £450 million. Sanpower Group is a 22 per cent shareholder of the Nanjing Xinjiekou Department Store Co. On 2 September 2014. Don McCarthy, retiring Executive Chairman of House of Fraser, announced the completion of the sale of 100% of the preferred ordinary shares and B ordinary shares, and approximately 89% of the A ordinary shares and preference shares of Highland Group Holdings Ltd, to Nanjing Xinjiekou Department Store Co, a leading chain of Chinese department stores and part of the Sanpower Group, for an enterprise value of approximately £480 million.[33]

In 2017, a new department store opened at the Rushden Lakes development in Rushden, Northamptonshire. The closure of House of Fraser Outlet in Leicester also took place during the year and a further closure, in Aylesbury, was announced for 2018, however, this never materialised following the acquisition by Sports Direct International. A new store in Chester was announced in February 2017 with construction due to start in mid-2018. It was announced later in 2018 that House of Fraser had pulled out of these plans due to their financial issues.

2018: Administration

On 2 May 2018, the company announced that it was to be entering into a conditional sale of a controlling stake in the firm to Nanjing Cenbest (another Sanpower Group subsidiary) to Hamleys owner C.banner, another Chinese firm. A condition of the sale that the company streamline its existing store portfolio and cost base was set out. The intention to launch a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) was announced on the same day.[34] However, C.banner later pulled out.

On 7 June 2018, the company announced that it would close 31 of its 58 UK stores:[35]

Altrincham • Aylesbury • Birkenhead • Birmingham • Bournemouth • Camberley • Cardiff • Carlisle • Chichester • Cirencester • Cwmbran • Darlington • Doncaster • Edinburgh Frasers • Epsom • Grimsby • High Wycombe • Hull • Leamington Spa • Lincoln • London Oxford Street • London King William Street • Middlesbrough • Milton Keynes • Plymouth • Shrewsbury • Skipton • Swindon • Telford • Wolverhampton • Worcester

This included the flagship Oxford Street branch and the largest store, Birmingham, to be closed by January 2019.[36] Richard Lim of Retail Economics said that it remained "hard to know with any certainty just what will happen next at House of Fraser" but that without any external funding within a matter of weeks it would inevitably fall into administration.[37] Before the intended closures the company employed 6,000 people directly, with another 11,500 employed through concessions.[37] The subsequent administration of the business meant the CVA and associated plans for restructuring (including the previously announced store closures) came to an abrupt end.

2018–present: Sports Direct and Frasers Group PLC

On 10 August 2018, House of Fraser entered administration. Later that day, Sports Direct International (now Frasers Group) agreed to buy the assets of the business – the House of Fraser stores, brand and the stock – for £90 million in cash on a pre-packaged insolvency basis.[38] Soon after the acquisition, many store closures were announced including the previously safe Manchester store, as well as Nottingham, Lakeside, Gateshead and Norwich, among others.[39] However, after months of negotiations, almost all stores were saved, with the exception of the branch in Shrewsbury,[40] Cirencester,[41] Edinburgh Frasers,[42] Chichester[43] and London King William Street,[44] all of which closed during December 2018 and January 2019.

In October 2018, Frasers Group plc purchased the Frasers building in Glasgow for £95 million and pledged to restore the building to its former condition.[45]

On 14 June 2019, it was confirmed that the store in Hull, which nearly closed in December, would close in Summer 2019 as a result of failing to agree on redevelopments to the site.[46]

On 26 July 2019, it was reported that Sports Direct had received a £605 million bill from the Belgian tax authorities. The retailer rebutted the claims and the matter was resolved in January 2020.[47] Sports Direct described the problems at House of Fraser as "nothing short of terminal". The cost of keeping the group running had been £51 million at that time. Its owner said there would be further store closures and added that there were a number of stores that, despite paying no rent, were still unprofitable.[48] Sports Direct's CEO, Mike Ashley, attributed the collapse of House of Fraser to the "incompetence of previous management".[49]

In the Frasers Group plc interim results in December 2019, the group noted it was starting to see signs of recovery as it continued to integrate the business into the Group and bring new disciplines, experience, and skills to bear which were helping the turnaround.[50] The group also noted that the Frasers strategy is to create a superior shopping experience for the consumer which will be led by the original Frasers in Glasgow.

On 29 September 2021, the company stated that of the original 59 stores House of Fraser operated at the time of administration, 43 were still open. In November 2021, it was announced that House of Fraser had been given notice of eviction at their Oxford Street store by the landlord, who were going to redevelop the building into a mix of office, retail and leisure. The store would close in January 2022, which along with other store closures would see the chain drop to 41 stores.[51]

Current branches

Frasers

It was reported in the press in May 2019 that Mike Ashley planned to open a new group of department stores under the Frasers nameplate. This group would have been positioned at the luxury end of the market with a focus on brands, experiences, and services. The project was led by Michael Murray, the group's Head of Elevation.[57] [58] The original Frasers store in Glasgow was planned to become the flagship of the group with a number of existing House of Fraser stores converted to the Frasers format. It was announced that House of Fraser Meadowhall and House of Fraser Belfast would each receive significant investment to become Frasers stores.[59] New Frasers stores would have opened in Liverpool and Wolverhampton. The Wolverhampton opening was announced on 3 October 2019, a new 94,000 sq ft store in premises due to be vacated by Debenhams. The closure of House of Fraser's 376,000 sq ft Beatties store in the city was confirmed at the same time.

Future closures

The House of Fraser store in Lincoln is scheduled for permanent closure (as of September 2023). In addition to the confirmed closures many of House of Fraser's landlords are currently exploring alternative uses for sites occupied by the group. These include department stores in Bath (Jollys), Birmingham, Guildford, Manchester, Plymouth and Reading.

Former brands and branches

Former regional groups

House of Fraser previously traded under many different, long established brand names. A number of regional groups of stores were acquired and subsequently extended or amalgamated. The Arnotts and Frasers groups were created by House of Fraser from scratch. These key groups, together with the flagship store of each one, and the regions to which they are largely associated are:

Former non department store businesses

House of Fraser owned several other retail businesses that were not department stores. In 1941, Fraser's purchased the furniture retailer Muir Simpson of Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow,[60] while J & A Ogilvie Ltd was added in 1966 after the purchase of Wylie and Lochhead.[61] Another business that was gained by purchasing Wylie and Lochhead was funeral directors, which were grown by further purchases.[62] [63] [64] The company also owned clothing manufacturers Nithco Manufacturing,[65] Arthur & Co,[66] and John Kirsop & Son.[67] They also operated clothing stores including:

In the 1980s it created the brand YOU jewellery & cosmetic stores, purchased the shoe retailer Kurt Geiger, tailors Turnbull & Asser, Hawes & Curtis and James Drew,[75] in addition to growing its sports chain Astral Sports which it had purchased in 1978.[76] [77] [78]

Former branches

Over the years, the following branches were closed, sold as going concerns or demerged from the business and no longer trade as part of the company. All outlets were department stores unless otherwise stated.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Aberdeen Press and Journal. House of Fraser set for floatation. 1993-07-21.
  2. Web site: House of Fraser's flagship Oxford Street store is saved. engage customer. 30 April 2021.
  3. News: House of Fraser's Chinese owners to sell stake in department store. The Independent. 6 March 2018. 30 April 2021.
  4. Web site: Harrods of the high street? Maybe not, but Mike Ashley's mission could succeed House of Fraser The Guardian . 2023-05-31 . amp.theguardian.com.
  5. Web site: Frasers . 2023-05-31 . Mander Shopping Centre.
  6. Web site: Hill . Eloise . 2023-10-09 . House of Fraser could vanish from the high street, says boss Michael Murray - Retail Gazette . 2023-10-09 . www.retailgazette.co.uk . en-GB.
  7. Web site: House of Fraser archive project . 2 February 2012.
  8. News: Historic Dickins & Jones to close . BBC News . 17 June 2005 . 2 February 2012.
  9. Web site: Hansard 1973 vol 864 cc113-5W . . 13 November 1973 . 2 February 2012.
  10. The Glasgow Herald 18 May 1974
  11. Web site: The HOUSE OF FRASER Archive . UK . 12 January 2019.
  12. Web site: File:House of Fraser at Meadowhall – geograph.org.uk – 948433.jpg – Wikimedia Commons . 19 May 2008 . Commons.wikimedia.org . 2 February 2012.
  13. News: Nigel Cope . House of Fraser warns more jobs are in danger – Business – News . The Independent . UK . 28 January 1997 . 2 February 2012.
  14. Web site: House Of Fraser PLC: Proposed Joint Venture, etc . FE Investegate . 13 July 1999 . 8 June 2018 . 7 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180607191956/https://investegate.co.uk/articlePrint.aspx?id=199907130730583105A . dead .
  15. News: Hostile bid for Fraser closer . London . London Evening Standard . 9 January 2003 .
  16. News: Simon Bowers . The Guardian Second approach for Beatties, Tuesday 5 July 2005 . The Guardian . UK . 2 February 2012 . 5 July 2005.
  17. Web site: London Evening Standard House of Fraser buys Beatties, 29 June 2005 . https://archive.today/20120912233235/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-19580114-house-of-fraser-buys-beatties.do . dead . 12 September 2012 . Evening Standard . London . 2 February 2012 .
  18. News: House of Fraser Opens its First Irish Department Store . 25 December 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090713212331/http://www.tribune.ie/archive/article/2005/feb/27/house-of-fraser-opens-its-first-irish-department-s/ . 13 July 2009 . . 27 February 2005 .
  19. News: Independent on Sunday . Susie. Mesure . 20 August 2005 . After 135 years, closure of Barkers marks death of department stores . 25 December 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090712043344/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/after-135-years-closure-of-barkers-marks-death-of-department-stores-503576.html . 12 July 2009 .
  20. News: Historic Dickens & Jones to close . BBC News . 17 June 2005 . 2 February 2012.
  21. Web site: Morley . Chris . Fears for future of Beatties store . Birminghammail.net . 6 January 2006 . 2 February 2012 . 29 February 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120229062015/http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2006/01/06/fears-for-future-of-beatties-store-97319-16553754/ . dead .
  22. News: House of Fraser agrees Highland bid . BBC News . 25 August 2006 . 2 February 2012.
  23. Web site: Landsbanki: Jenners not for sale . The Scotsman . UK . 11 February 2009 . 2 February 2012.
  24. News: Kaya Burgess. Baugur plans to sharpen HoF image (Times Online) . The Times . UK . 2 February 2012.
  25. Web site: House of Fraser to launch online shop . 7 September 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070819234828/http://www.directtraffic.org/OnlineNews/House_of_Fraser_to_launch_online_shop_18247824.html . 19 August 2007 . Direct Traffic Ltd. .
  26. News: House of Fraser opens biggest ever store in Belfast . The Daily Telegraph . UK . 2 February 2012 . Sarah . Butler . 8 March 2008.
  27. Web site: House of Fraser to anchor Bristol Broadmead scheme . Europe-re.com . 17 February 2005 . 2 February 2012.
  28. News: Kaya Burgess. Organic grocer replaces Barkers (Times Online) . The Times . UK . 2 February 2012.
  29. Web site: Harrison . Nicola . Retail Week 21 October 2011 . Retail-week.com . 21 October 2011 . 2 February 2012.
  30. News: Simon Neville . House of Fraser keeps options open as Lafayette bid looms . . 19 December 2013 . 4 September 2016.
  31. Web site: Chinese firm set to buy House of Fraser. BBC. 4 April 2014. 10 April 2014.
  32. Web site: China's Nanjing Xinjiekou to Buy Stake in House of Fraser Owner. Business of Fashion reprinting Bloomberg. 8 April 2014. 10 April 2014. Lin. Liza. Thesing. Gabi. Tan. Stephen. 11 April 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140411063740/http://www.businessoffashion.com/2014/04/chinas-nanjing-xinjiekou-buy-stake-house-fraser-owner.html. dead.
  33. Web site: news . House of Fraser . 4 September 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160614221741/http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/news/news,default,pg.html . 14 June 2016 . dead .
  34. News: House of Fraser plans to close stores. 2 May 2018. BBC News. 6 May 2018. en-GB.
  35. News: House of Fraser to close 31 stores. 7 June 2018. BBC News. 29 November 2018. en-GB.
  36. News: 6,000 jobs at risk amid House of Fraser closures. 6 June 2018. The Scotsman. 6 June 2018. en-GB.
  37. Web site: House of Fraser store closures to go ahead. BBC News . 5 August 2018. 5 August 2018 .
  38. News: House of Fraser bought by Mike Ashley's Sports Direct for £90m. 10 August 2018. The Guardian. 10 August 2018. en-GB.
  39. News: Sports Direct deal saves four House of Fraser stores. Wood. Zoe. The Guardian. 22 January 2019.
  40. News: Final day of trading for Shrewsbury's House of Fraser store. Shropshire Live. 12 January 2019.
  41. News: House of Fraser closes doors for the last time. Krayem-Wood. Sam. Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard. 8 January 2019.
  42. News: Mike Ashley to close three House of Fraser stores. https://web.archive.org/web/20180923010953/https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/sep/22/mike-ashley-to-close-house-of-fraser-stores-edinburgh-hull-swindon. dead. 23 September 2018. Doward. Jamie. The Guardian. 22 September 2018.
  43. News: House of Fraser closes in Chichester today. Lindsey. Peter. The Guardian. 26 January 2019.
  44. News: Classy restaurant to open in London's former House of Fraser store. Gregory. Julia. mylondon. 11 June 2019.
  45. News: Mike Ashley snaps up freehold to House of Fraser's historic Glasgow store for £95m. City A.M.. 12 October 2018. Joe Curtis.
  46. News: Cheap hoodies in shabby stores: House of Fraser after a year of Ashley. Butler. Sarah. The Guardian. 10 August 2019.
  47. News: The Times. London. Mike Ashley's Frasers Group in clear over Belgian VAT. 31 January 2020. Ashley Armstrong. subscription.
  48. Web site: Sports Direct regrets House of Fraser rescue . 26 July 2019 . BBC . 2019-10-26.
  49. Web site: Mike Ashley explains 'the truth' about Debenhams and House of Fraser collapse. Andrews. James. 2019-12-16. mirror. 2020-01-15.
  50. Web site: Interim Results for the 26 weeks to 27 October 2019. 16 December 2019. Sports Direct International PLC.
  51. News: House of Fraser to close London flagship store in January. Butler. Sarah. The Guardian. 17 November 2021.
  52. Web site: Young . Graham . 2023-02-10 . What is happening to House of Fraser in Birmingham . 2023-05-02 . BirminghamLive . en.
  53. Web site: Wright . Georgia . 2023-03-01 . In pictures: House of Fraser Birmingham - from shiny department store to deserted outlet - Retail Gazette . 2023-05-02 . www.retailgazette.co.uk . en-GB.
  54. Web site: Rountree . Sara . 2022-11-03 . First look inside Cork's new Frasers as hundreds flock to Mahon Point store . 2022-11-24 . Cork Beo . en.
  55. Web site: 2024-01-08 . Department store to close for major refit . 2024-01-14 . Kent Online . en.
  56. News: 2024-01-29 . House of Fraser to move into Peterborough's former John Lewis . 2024-02-03 . BBC News . en-GB.
  57. News: Michael Murray: the man with a mandate to take Sports Direct upmarket. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221211221223/https://www.ft.com/content/3bd16468-ba9e-11e9-8a88-aa6628ac896c. 11 December 2022. live. Financial Times. subscription. Jonathan Eley. London. 9 August 2019. 19 February 2020.
  58. News: Michael Murray, head of elevation at Sports Direct, tells how brands will get lift-off . 12 August 2019 . The Times . UK . Ashley . Armstrong . 27 April 2020 .
  59. News: New "landmark" Frasers store to open at Meadowhall Sheffield. Retail Gazette. Elias. Jahshan. 20 January 2020.
  60. Web site: House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 26 May 2021.
  61. Web site: Company:J & A Ogilvie Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 26 May 2021.
  62. Web site: Company:Wylie & Lochhead (Funerals) Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 26 May 2021.
  63. Web site: Company:McKenzie & Millar Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 26 May 2021.
  64. Web site: Company: W T Dunbar & Sons Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 26 May 2021.
  65. Web site: Company: Nithco Manufacturing Co Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 26 May 2021.
  66. Web site: Company: Arthur & Co Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 26 May 2021.
  67. Web site: Company: John Kirsop & Son Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 26 May 2021.
  68. Web site: Company: Carswell (The Modern Man's Shop) Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 26 May 2021.
  69. Web site: Company: Cochranes Stores Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 26 May 2021.
  70. Web site: McLaren & Son (Glasgow) Limited. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 5 March 2023.
  71. Web site: Forresters (Outfitters) Limited. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 5 March 2023.
  72. Web site: Kings Fashions Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 5 March 2023.
  73. Web site: Company: Logie & Co Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 26 May 2021.
  74. Web site: Brights & Colsons Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 5 March 2023.
  75. Web site: Turnbull & Asser (Holdings) Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 5 March 2023.
  76. Web site: Company: House of Fraser Ltd House of Fraser plc House of Fraser Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 18 May 2021.
  77. Web site: Company:Astral Sports & Leisure Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 24 May 2021.
  78. Web site: Astral Sports,St. Mark's Shopping Precinct, 1987. Picture the Past. 24 May 2021.
  79. Web site: House of Fraser Archive : Company : Isaac Benzie. 1 Dec 2014.
  80. Web site: HOUSE OF FRASER Archive :: Company: John Falconer & Co Ltd. Housefraserarchive.ac.uk . 30 March 2015.
  81. Web site: House of Fraser Archive:A & R Milne. University of Glagow. 30 April 2021.
  82. Web site: House of Fraser Archive:Reid and Pearson. University of Glasgow. 30 April 2021.
  83. Web site: House of Fraser Archive:R J Smith. University of Glasgow. 30 April 2021.
  84. Web site: House of Fraser Archives:Watt & Grant. 30 April 2021.
  85. Web site: House of Fraser Archive: House of Fraser Ltd. University of Glasgow . 16 February 2024.
  86. Web site: Young World Moves Over. British Newspaper Archive . 16 February 2024.
  87. Web site: House of Fraser Archives: T Baird & Son Ltd. University of Glasgow. 30 April 2021.
  88. Web site: House of Fraser Archived:Thomas White & Co. University of Glasgow . 30 April 2021.
  89. Web site: Brown Muff & Co - West Yorkshire Archive Service 14D96. 5 November 2014.
  90. Web site: House of Fraser Archives:Soutars Ltd. University of Glasgow. 30 April 2021.
  91. News: Hourstons closes in Ayr as last independent department store shuts up shop today. 27 February 2019.
  92. News: Hourstons remains to serve populous of the Honest Toon. Two McMaster Stores are sold by the receiver. The Herald. 26 March 1993.
  93. Web site: House of Fraser Archives:Rankin & Co.. University of Glasgow. 30 April 2021.
  94. Web site: House of Fraser Archives:Benzie & Miller. University of Glasgow. 30 April 2021.
  95. Web site: House of Fraser Archives:Taylors. University of Glasgow. 30 April 2021.
  96. Web site: House of Fraser Archives:Jollys & Sons. University of Glasgow . 30 April 2021.
  97. News: Councillors give Primark go-ahead for redevelopment of Bank Buildings. en-GB. belfasttelegraph. 2020-08-04. 0307-1235.
  98. Book: Mastering Background to Business. Terry. L. Price. 3 January 2016. Macmillan Education UK . 978-0333488027.
  99. News: Closing down signs go up in House of Fraser windows as staff face job 'uncertainty'. Liverpool Echo. 12 February 2020.
  100. News: 140 years of city history faces the end with Beatties closure. Express & Star. 7 June 2018.
  101. Web site: Company: R H O Hills Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Essex. 18 May 2021.
  102. Web site: Company: JJ Allen. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 18 May 2021.
  103. News: Fraser axes three stores. The Independent. 23 October 2011.
  104. Web site: BRIGG BUSINESSES OF THE PAST: HOW MANY DO YOU REMEMBER?. Nigel Fisher's Brigg Blog. 17 January 2018. 18 May 2021.
  105. Web site: Volume: Dingles Department Store / Royal Promenade, Queens Road, Bristol. Historic England. 18 May 2021.
  106. News: Budget clothing chain Primark will move into the landmark House of Fraser building . Bristol Evening Post. 17 Feb 2005.
  107. Web site: Cork . Tristan . 2024-07-03 . Cabot Circus flagship store will close next month . 2024-07-06 . Bristol Live . en.
  108. Web site: Company: Army & Navy Store (Bromley) Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 18 May 2021.
  109. News: A look back at when Beatties was a staple of Burton shopping. Derby Telegraph. 22 February 2019.
  110. News: Cardiff: Howells, the store known for its window displays, food halls and ghosts. BBC. 25 March 2023.
  111. Web site: Company: Seecombes Ltd. House of Fraser @ University of Glasgow. 18 May 2021.
  112. Web site: 2024-01-18 . Cheltenham House of Fraser and Cavendish House to close . 2024-02-03 . BBC News . en-GB.
  113. News: House of Fraser: Mystery surrounds owners of iconic Chichester site. Chichester Observer. 5 May 2021.
  114. News: House of Fraser closes doors for the last time. Wiltshire & Gloucestershire Standard. 8 January 2019.
  115. Web site: Company:A C Illum A/S. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 25 May 2021.
  116. Web site: Company:Robertson Ledlie Ferguson & Co.. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 26 May 2021.
  117. Web site: Former Benzies later Arnotts Department Store later West End furniture store, now Savers drugstore; High Street, Dingwall. Mapio. 18 May 2021.
  118. News: Doncaster's House of Fraser store to close. Doncaster Free Press. 7 June 2018.
  119. Book: Doncaster Through Time. Peter Tuffrey. 15 February 2016. Amberley . 9781445654522.
  120. News: Memories of Dingles department store in 1980s Dorchester. Dorset Echo. 27 September 2020.
  121. Web site: Company: Genge & Co. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 18 May 2021.
  122. Web site: Company:Switzer & Co.. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 26 May 2021.
  123. News: Tears as Beatties shuts for the final time. Express & Star. 25 January 2010.
  124. News: Colleagues from Dumfries' Binns department store reunited at Lochduhar care home. Daily Record. 1 August 2020.
  125. Web site: D.M. Brown, High Street, Dundee. Leisure & Culture Dundee. 18 May 2021.
  126. Web site: Company:D. M. Brown Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 18 May 2021.
  127. Web site: Company:Alexander Ewing & Co.. House of Fraser @ University of Glasgow. 18 May 2021.
  128. News: Penneys to expand Dundrum presence as House of Fraser exits. The Irish Times. 5 February 2020.
  129. Web site: Company: Army & Navy Stores Ltd Army & Navy Co-operative Society Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glagow. 18 May 2021.
  130. Web site: Company:Peter Allan Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 19 May 2021.
  131. Web site: Lost Edinburgh Patrick Thomson - The Scotsman p. 23 December 2013. 27 Nov 2014.
  132. Web site: Company:Scottish Drapery Corporation. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 19 May 2021.
  133. Web site: Company: J D Blair & Sons. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 18 May 2021.
  134. News: Is Jenners closing? Iconic Edinburgh Princes Street Department store set to close - what we know so far. The Scotsman. 26 Jan 2021.
  135. Web site: Company:William Small & Sons. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 19 May 2021.
  136. News: Exact date Epsom's House of Fraser will close for good, and it's a matter of weeks. Surrey Live. 10 May 2022.
  137. Web site: Company:Rightons Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 19 May 2021.
  138. News: House of Fraser to close its Metrocentre store in September, centre owners confirm. Chronicle Live . 30 July 2021.
  139. Web site: Company: Thomas Muirhead & Co Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 19 May 2021.
  140. Web site: Copland & Lye. The Glasgow Story. 19 May 2021.
  141. Web site: Company:Copland & Lye Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 19 May 2021.
  142. Web site: Company:Dallas's Ltd. House of Fraser @ University of Glasgow. 19 May 2021.
  143. Web site: Company:Duncan's Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 19 May 2021.
  144. Web site: House of Fraser Archive: Company:Pettigrew & Stephens Ltd. 14 Nov 2014.
  145. Web site: Company:Wood & Selby Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 19 May 2021.
  146. Web site: D & A Prentice (Greenock) Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 19 May 2021.
  147. News: End of an Era as Bairds in Hamilton Closes with loss of 53 jobs. Daily Record. 7 February 2014.
  148. News: Beer we go! JD Wetherspoon are back in with £5m plan for empty Bairds building. Daily Record. 14 December 2017.
  149. News: Halls of delight: Rare pictures of Yorkshire's favourite department stores. The Yorkshire Post. 1 May 2020 . David Behrens.
  150. Web site: Binns Department store - Details about Binns Department Store. Hartlepool History Then and Now. 25 May 2021.
  151. Web site: House of Fraser confirm closure of High Wycombe store . 2022-11-22 . Bucks Free Press . 16 November 2022 . en.
  152. News: House of Fraser in Huddersfield to close for good with huge sale. Huddersfield Examiner. 15 July 2022.
  153. News: Updates as House of Fraser closes in Hull city centre for good. Sophie. Corcoran. Michael. Mutch. 4 August 2019. Hull Daily Mail. 28 October 2019.
  154. Web site: Company:Chiesman Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 19 May 2021.
  155. Web site: Record: Newspaper Articles (FRAS1769). House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 19 May 2021.
  156. Web site: Janet Street-Porter: The demolition of the department store. The Independent. 31 August 2005 . 31 October 2014.
  157. Web site: HOUSE OF FRASER Archive :: Company: Ponting Brothers.
  158. News: Doomed building yields treasure. News Shopper. 30 June 2000.
  159. Web site: 65 Stores!. The Sunday Post. 22 February 2024.
  160. Web site: Kingston branch general ledger. 22 February 2024.
  161. News: House of Fraser Leeds: Pictures show work underway as former Briggate department store to be demolished. Yorkshire Evening Post.
  162. Web site: Morgan Squire Ltd - House of Fraser Archive - University of Glasgow Archive. 27 April 2020.
  163. Web site: Henderson's department store fire, Liverpool. Fire Brigade Union. 22 June 1960. 23 May 2021.
  164. News: House of Fraser online sales jump by 53%. The Guardian. 22 May 2013.
  165. News: Joint venture snaps up former home of Monument House of Fraser. Property Week. 30 July 2019.
  166. News: House of Fraser: Middlesbrough store shuts after 100 years. Northern Echo. 23 June 2022.
  167. Web site: Harrods to open up in Milton Keynes House of Fraser store but 172 staff will lose their jobs. MKCitizen. 12 December 2019.
  168. Web site: Company:Dickens and Jones Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 19 May 2021.
  169. Web site: Company:E Dingle & Co Ltd. House of Fraser @ University of Glasgow. 19 May 2021.
  170. Web site: Company:J F Rockhey Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 19 May 2021.
  171. News: House of Fraser: Northampton Grosvenor Centre store to close. BBC News. 3 December 2013.
  172. News: The 12 Northamptonshire shops we've loved and lost. Northants Live. 26 Dec 2020.
  173. Web site: Company:Bradley's Drapery Stores Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 21 May 2021.
  174. News: House of Fraser. The Guardian, p.12. 30 July 1964.
  175. Messrs. Fraser & Love. The Edinburgh Gazette. 17 March 1961. 168.
  176. Web site: House of Fraser to quit Highlands. The Scotsman. 1 November 2003.
  177. Web site: Company:Gordon & Stanfield Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 21 May 2021.
  178. Web site: House of Fraser Archive : Company : David Evans & Co. 12 December 2014.
  179. News: House of Fraser announces closure date for Reading store. Reading Chronicle. 6 September 2023.
  180. Web site: Company:Gosling & Son Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 23 May 2021.
  181. Web site: Dickens & Jones Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 23 May 2021.
  182. Web site: Company:Wright Brothers Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 26 May 2021.
  183. Web site: An Archaeological Evaluation Report on the Site of the former Owen Owen Building, 29-34 George Street, Richmond upon Thames. Hoad. S. 1992. MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology).
  184. Web site: Photographs of Dingles stores (FRAS 1148). University of Glasgow House of Fraser Archive. 3 April 2023.
  185. Annual Statement of Account. House of Fraser Directors Report. 1976.
  186. Web site: Cumber . Robert . House of Fraser at Meadowhall set to close next month with all staff at risk of redundancy . The Star . 10 December 2020 . 7 February 2022.
  187. Web site: Company:Grocott & Co. Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 23 May 2021.
  188. Web site: Company:J R Roberts Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 25 May 2021.
  189. Web site: Company:Alexanders (Southport) Ltd. House of Fraser Archive @ University of Glasgow. 25 May 2021.
  190. News: House of Fraser in town centre closing down TODAY. Swindon Advertiser. 17 November 2021.
  191. Web site: Major department store announces closure of south Essex shopping centre branch . 24 October 2023 .
  192. News: House of Fraser leaves central London after closing Westfield store. Retail Gazette. 3 January 2023.
  193. Web site: A view of the ladies wear department in the D H Evans store at Wood Green Shopping City. Historic England. 24 May 2021.