Kitchen and Dining employees are among some 160 people set to lose their jobs with the proposed closure of House of Fraser’s Manchester store in January. The 182 year old department store is known to locals by its previous name, Kendals. The announcement on Friday (October 19) came after rent negotiations had broken down between House of Fraser’s owner, Shop Direct and the landlord of the iconic Kendals building in Manchester’s Deangate.
Local councilors, employees and outraged customers are rallying to #SaveKendals, sharing what the store means to them with memories and tributes. Kendals has been described as an ‘institution’ for the city and one employee described the store as ‘family.’
The Manchester Evening News states that for decades the store has been a ‘go-to destination for all things fashion’ including homewares but also reflected that ‘the upper floors are not usually regarded as particularly profit-making.’
Meanwhile Shop Direct has vowed to turn Glasgow’s Frasers into the ‘Harrods of the north.’ The chain is set to buy the building in a £95m deal expected to be complete by January 2020. Shop Direct’s Mike Ashley has said he intends to ‘further elevate and enhance this iconic department store.’ The purchase cost exceeds that of Shop Direct’s £90m acquisition of House of Fraser in August.
Top: House of Fraser Manchester, known as Kendals to locals.
