A MAJOR department store is set to close for six months – but it’s not all bad news.
House of Fraser in Maidstone will close at the end of March for a “transformation”.
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The department store is owned by Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group who intend to turn the department store into a Frasers concept store.
It has already opened up more than eight Frasers concept stores in locations such as Norwich and Blackpool.
The new stores combine popular brands such as Sports Direct and Game.
A spokesperson for Frasers Group said: “We are pleased to confirm that we are transforming the current House of Fraser site to provide Maidstone customers with a larger, elevated store that offers the world’s most aspirational brands.
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The new Frasers concept store in Maidstone will be 65,000 sq ft. and reopen in Autumn 2024.
However, not everyone is welcoming the store revamp and some locals have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the temporary closure.
One person said: “All the good units have gone and been replaced.”
Another commented: “So what happens to the staff in the meantime?”
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A third person added: “It used to be the flagship store of Maidstone with lovely clothes but it’s gone to pot.”
The Frasers Group launched its first concept store in Wolverhampton in 2021 and opened up its 10th store in Norwich in September.
The Frasers store in Norwich features a new “homeware concept” Frasers House which is selling more big-name brands, as well as sofa.com offering furniture too.
There are also plans to open two further sites in Blackpool and Sheffield, the group confirmed to The Sun last year.
The face of retail looks very different to how it once did before the coronavirus pandemic.
Rising costs and a move to online shopping have left many retailers closing down branches, and some winding down altogether.
Others are reviewing their portfolios with retailers such as Marks and Spencer and Boots shutting down some locations, although M&S has also been reopening in others.
Argos, Next, Jack Willks and Poundland are all set to close branches this year.
We have the full list of retailers shutting down in 2024 here.
What about store openings?
It is not all doom and gloom for 2024 some retailers are looking to expand this year.
B&M is opening two stores in Porthmadog and Washington on January 18 and January 26 respectively.
It will then open a branch in Harrow, London, on February 10, and another in Arnold, Nottinghamshire, on February 21.
A day later the retailer will cut the ribbon on a branch in Thamesmead, London, on February 22 and Beaumont Lays, Leicester, a day later.
Supermarket giant Asda is on track to open 1,000 more sites throughout the UK and Northern Ireland by March 2024 too.
Meanwhile, everyone’s favourite discounter Wilko has plans to open more stores in January after reopening branches in Plymouth, Luton and Exeter.
Clothing retailer Peacocks is also set to open six new stores soon.
All the good units have gone and replaced with crap.
So what happens to the staff in the meantime?
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Not worth shopping in Maidstone anymore , has nothing to offer and car park charges are ridiculous !
most of the staff are being made redundant then have to reapply for their jobs
It used to be the flagship store of Maidstone with lovely clothes, shoes etc. since that bloke bought it and filled it with bloody sportswear it’s gone to pot. It’s never busy in there anymore ….always a bad sign.
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