Solihull shoppers react as House of Fraser announces closing date

Major department store House of Fraser is set to close its Solihull branch today (Monday, August 28) and residents of the town have shared their reactions on social media about the loss.

A department store has been present in the House of Fraser building at Mell Square, Solihull for decades. It was previously called Beatties. The House of Fraser store has a huge closing down sale underway and there’s still time to grab some of the remaining items on sale.

Frasers Group PLC, owner of House of Fraser, have confirmed that they are shutting the store on Bank Holiday Monday, August 28. Previously, Solihull Council said that the huge department store in Mell Square is closing and unveiled its plans for the site. The news of the closure came months after the landmark Birmingham city centre House of Fraser was turned into an outlet store and several floors at the Sutton Coldfield store closed. Another House of Fraser department store in Guildford is also set to close next month.

What Frasers Group said about Solihull store closure

A spokeswoman for Frasers Group told BirminghamWorld: “It is with regret that we announce House of Fraser Solihull and Guildford are planned to close in the coming months. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff for their hard work and dedication. Where possible, we are committed to finding new roles within the Group for all staff.” The Guildford store is set to close on September 30th.

What shoppers said about House of Fraser closure

One shopper said: “It’s a real shame, and I did try to use it more so than JL.. but it was so badly run. Frequent issues with pricing and general lack of aesthetic appeal of the place. It was an icon.. hopefully, the retail space will get a new lease of life the staff are looked after.” Another added: “Such a shame now solihull centre has become so busy and thriving again.”

Imandeep Kaur, co-founder of Civic Square, wrote: “I remember when House of Fraser and this part of Mell Square used to be the highlight of Solihull Town Centre my nani [grandmother] loved, the whole centre is falling apart + shops closing, the future for these centres could be abundant if we had imagination + understood the crisis ahead.”

What Solihull Council said about House of Fraser closure

Solihull Council previously told BirminghamWorld it was “disappointing but not an unexpected decision from Frasers Group”. The local authority added: “it presents a huge opportunity for a number of exciting plans. The decision by Frasers Group to close their store means we can now look to redevelop this site.”

The council explained that the redevelopment of the site will be in line with their Solihull Town Centre Masterplan - a blueprint for future investment and development in the town centre over the next fifteen years. According to the masterplan prospectus, the council seeks to redevelop Mell Square “to create a truly diverse mixed use space.” They hope to create a balance of residential, leisure and commercial use space as well as a high quality public realm scheme.

The council added: “We are committed to working with our other tenants to maximise and promote their business and as plans for redevelopment come forward they will be fully consulted.

“Solihull town centre continues to be a thriving place to live, work, visit and shop, consistently outperforming other local centres across the country both in terms of retail economy and in attracting investment. As the role of our town centres and high streets continues to evolve, we are determined to support this transition and play an active role in shaping the future of Solihull town centre.

“Solihull Council is taking a hands-on approach to ensure we are not just responsive to these changes but can get ahead of the curve and capitalise on the opportunities this presents. The plan has always been to bring this scheme forward in stages to align with when sites become available.”