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Original poster

To be worried about House of Fraser

366 replies

Viviennemary · 06/01/2018 23:20

Seems this is the next chain to be in trouble. And Debenhams hasn't been doing to well either lately according to the news tonight. I don't buy a great deal in either of these but would be really sad to see them go. Woolworths gone and then BHS. Sad at the thought they might disappear

OP posts:
SheGotBetteDavisEyes · 07/01/2018 02:53

Debenhams is a horrible experience. It doesn’t know what it wants to be, snazzy department store or TK Maxx

This. I went in for a make up item a couple of years ago (the make up bit is okay), and thought I'd look around, but it was like a jumble sale. Bitty concessions with rails everywhere and no sense of a nice shopping experience.

I haven't bothered since.

llangennith · 07/01/2018 04:30

Cardiff Debenhams is a mish mash of far too much tat and HoF is so old-fashioned. I wouldn’t be too unhappy if they both disappeared.
I was going to say that the department store has had its day but John Lewis manages to stock and arrange its stores in a way that attracts plenty of customers.

daisychain01 · 07/01/2018 05:14

Retail gets what it deserves. They cannot expect to have stores full of sub-standard unwearable fashion and still make profit. Debs and HoF are a car crash, they have devalued their brands by constantly having sales and the products are dated. When it's 'pot luck' as to whether you can find something you really want to buy, that's a sign of decline.

It's really sad going to M&S sales nowadays and going urggghhh at the rails and rails of ghastly fabrics and designs. They have no excuse, customers have been telling them in their droves, please dont give us blouses that look like curtains and fit like a sack. But they have become arrogant and ignore the people who pay their wages, the customer. Too top-heavy with out of touch over paid career management with bugger all pedigree in fashion. Bring back Sir Stuart Rose and George Davis (Per Una at its best), they really knew about stylish fashion.

Only product in M&S worth shouting about is their micro fibre non-VPL knickers and you need to sell a shedload of them to keep that place afloat!

BikeRunSki · 07/01/2018 08:27

On the flip side, I went to the new John Lewis in Leeds about a month ago. It was well laid out, well stocked, well presented and had helpful, knowledgable staff. It was an extremely nice shopping experience.

Amanduh · 07/01/2018 08:30

I really like and use Debenhams. Our HoF is hideous to shop in, badly organised, badly stocked, a maze to get around.

Newrules · 07/01/2018 08:35

I buy online from house of Fraser and Debenhams as they do a lot of brands and they send lots of promotions and sales by email. However the shopping experience in both stores is awful and When I go shopping in the city centre I never go in either store.

10thingsIhateAboutTheDailyMail · 07/01/2018 08:44

There are not manythings I'd buy at Debenhams or HOF

They have not moved with the times, the sort of clothes I'd like to buy aren't there (skinny jeans for my teen boys, extra length jeans/trousers for self, nice tops/dresses that are NOT polyester, and clothes that are not entirely out of fashion Grin)

cloudyweewee · 07/01/2018 08:44

I love browsing in House of Fraser and my local branch has been completely refurbished. Trouble is it no longer sells certain brands like East and M&Co and they were my reasons for going in.

10thingsIhateAboutTheDailyMail · 07/01/2018 08:46

Last time I went to Debenhams for PJs the entire department stocked polyester only

ButchyRestingFace · 07/01/2018 08:47

I stopped shopping in Glasgow’s House of Fraser after they moved the women’s clothing. Is it two flights up now?

Fuck that.

cloudyweewee · 07/01/2018 08:47

Meant to say that I love the old fashioned feel of HoF. I used to love the Shrewsbury branch cos the top floor reminded me of Are You Being Served?

daisychain01 · 07/01/2018 08:49

Absolutely, BikeRunSki JL have great buyers who always seem to source the staple products plus seasonal extras Year in, year out. Andy Street, their CEO, is a smart cookie, who ensures front line staff are well motivated, trained and valued. They have their priorities right, and that translates to year on year growth.

k2p2k2tog · 07/01/2018 08:50

I'm not surprised HoF is struggling. They don't occupy a clear marketplace. M&S struggles, but makes a lot on food and it's where the nation buys its pants. Debenhams have a lot of stores, massive sales and are seen as better value. John Lewis plays the quality card and is the most popular department store. Then you have the Selfridges/Harrods/Harvey Nicks which are most definitely aspirational and premium. HoF sells designer, but nothing exclusive. Why buy a Michael Kors bag or Armani suit from HoF when you can go direct to the maker?

HoF... has a reputation for being expensive but nor the cachet of Harvey Nicks or Harrods. They're not doing anything better or different from John Lewis. They've not got food sales to prop them up. Their stores are always in the most expensive city centre locations.

I should be your typical HoF shopper and I'm not. Haven't bought anything there for many, many years as they just don't occur to me when I'm looking for something new.

DollyPartonsBeard · 07/01/2018 08:53

cloudyweewee Do you remember the lady of a certain age with the purplish bouffant who ruled the lingerie department? Impeccably turned out with fancy specs and a tape measure round her neck?!

Frazzled2207 · 07/01/2018 08:58

I would not miss Debenhams at all. Horrid place.

However House of Fraser in Manchester (Kendall's) would most definitely be missed, it's a huge, old fashioned but fairly posh place, pleasant to mooch around with nice upmarket cafes. Although it probably has gone downhill a bit recently, I fondly remember a whole afternoon we spent there getting dh organised with his wedding suit- the service we got that day was superb.

honeysucklejasmine · 07/01/2018 09:02

I loathe our local HoF and I've only been in once. I had a pushchair with me and it's was a nightmare. All the ramps were hidden behind display stands, sometimes so closely I could barely fit my relatively slim pushchair through. The lift felt like it was going to breakdown any second. It was really laborious moving around their winding "paths". I knew what I wanted. I just wanted to get there and then browse, not take a 3 mile scenic route past loads of junk I wasn't interested in.

Cerseilannisterinthesnow · 07/01/2018 09:03

I’d be sad if Debenhams closed, I go to the benefit counter To get my eyebrows it’s the only place I’ve been that actually trims them and leaves them a nice shape/what I’ve asked for! I also like the makeup so buy a fair bit from there.

I also love browsing the perfumes and I like the oasis confession our city doesn’t have a stand a lone oasis store

Cerseilannisterinthesnow · 07/01/2018 09:03

Eyebrows waxed that should say

eurochick · 07/01/2018 09:04

I think it's sad but it's not surprising. I used to favour JL for homewares And HoF for clothes but JL has really upped its game on clothes. It no longer only stocks boring fusty brands. I've never particularly liked Debenhams.

MiniAlphaBravo · 07/01/2018 09:06

I've recently had abysmal customer service from house of Fraser and don't want to shop there again really. I do like the brands they stock, however. I think debenhams is in more trouble, they don't sell as many good brands and they seem to try to sell a lot of rubbish that nobody wants.

Nanasueathome · 07/01/2018 09:06

Gingernaut
Am assuming you are near Wolverhampton
I have been in the new Debenhams store twice, both times before Christmas, and there were more staff in there than customers
Cannot understand why they opened the store in the first place

SavvyFishFinger · 07/01/2018 09:09

I do not understand how anyone can be part of the problem if they do not want to buy the goods from a particular store. We choose to buy what we want. If a store does not sell what we want it simply will not sell.

M&S and HOF will look fundamentally different in five years if still around. If not, then it's managements fault nobody else's.

There was a story recently about one of the U.K.s oldest independent toy shops closing down because the Internet killed their business. Guess what? They didn't even have a website.

MadamPatti · 07/01/2018 09:09

I visited a HOF store in my local town just before Christmas. It was a weekday, and the place was absolutely deserted and quite run down. The town is very rundown, high levels of unemployment etc. If it were to close, the town would lose an institution, but I don’t see how it can last forever.

I have three branches of Debenhams locally and they are all excellent shopping experiences. 2 of the stores are new builds, stock an excellent range etc.

DeleteOrDecay · 07/01/2018 09:10

I'm amazed WHSmiths aren't in trouble before the likes of HOF and Debenhams.

Littlebelina · 07/01/2018 09:12

I don't buy full price at debenhams anymore as if you wait a week they will have a sale! Think it is their business model now but doesn't scream quality. Most of their stores feel like they are held together with gaffer tape and good wishes. I would be sad to see them go as I do buy odd bits from there but not surprised.

Can't remember last time I brought from HoF. John Lewis\Fenwicks do affordable but slightly posh much better.