Blow for UK town as its final department store closes for good after 100 years | UK | News
A UK town has lost its last department store in the latest blow for locals. The House of Fraser store served the community for over 100 years but closed its doors for the final time on Sunday, March 8th.
The store, the last major store in Darlington, County Durham, has been struggling since the Covid-19 outbreak. The combination of rising costs and declining consumer spending led to management fears and eventual store closure. It was scheduled to close in April, but the date was suddenly brought forward after shoppers saw shelves emptied for weeks.
As reported by Northern EchoHouse of Fraser, which opened on High Row in 1922, launched a closing sale after announcing it would close. Many shoppers expressed sadness at the move.
A spokesman for Darlington Borough Council said: “The news that House of Fraser is closing is disappointing, the store has been at the heart of our town center for many years and will undoubtedly be a miss for shoppers in Darlington. “As we learn more about the details of the closure, any relevant and appropriate support we can provide will be available.”
Plans to divide the ground floor of the site into six separate stores have been approved. It is not clear when the store’s transformation work will begin.
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On Sunday, shoppers flocked to the store to grab last-minute deals before it closed for good. Kevin and Clare Howlett, from Darlington, said the closure was a shame for the town.
They said: “Sad to see this go. This is where I go to buy a luxury bag for my wife.” The couple added: “The younger generation will miss this opportunity as it is a great place for the town. 100 years of history has been lost.”
Another resident added: “Sad to see this go. It really is a crime. The area needs more shops and more variety. The only place to buy high quality clothes is Next now.”
