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News & politics

House of Fraser bought by Mike Ashley

(41 Posts)
Squiffy Sat 11-Aug-18 09:15:00

Gilly It’ll be interesting to hear NUFC fans opinions if they’re interviewed before today’s match grin

I think there’ll be a lot of bleeping!!

Anniebach Sat 11-Aug-18 08:33:37

We forget when we had grocery shops, butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers on the high streets , supermarkets, Then came supermarkets.

Better low pay than no pay trisher, and no I do not think low pay is ok, at least the staff have time to look for other jobs if they want to and if they can find them.

crystaltipps Sat 11-Aug-18 05:53:23

Those department stores seem sadly old fashioned-but-not-in-a-good way now, bit like Grace Brothers. John Lewis seems a bit more competitive, Harrods and Selfridges are full of tourists, not sure many Brits can afford to shop there. Liberty has managed to retain the old world charm but again is a tourist destination. Primark has cornered the “pile it high sell em cheap” end. So not sure what the future holds for H of F and Debenhams.

gillybob Fri 10-Aug-18 23:36:21

Oh I can imagine what the NUFC fans are saying about this . Jeez.

He did already own shares in HoF and even more in Debenhams which I suspect will be the next big fall out .

paddyann Fri 10-Aug-18 21:22:42

Sad to hear this ,many moons ago we were friends with one of the Fraser family who owned the stores ,he'll be spinning in his grave at what seems to be its fate .It was always the go to shop in Glasgow ,the heart of Buchanan Street .

Jalima1108 Fri 10-Aug-18 20:52:56

I think John Lewis are quite competitive on price Day6

Jalima1108 Fri 10-Aug-18 20:52:17

It was, Elrel
Didn't they belong to the same group - I am sure Dingles of Plymouth was the same group as Harrods.

lemongrove Fri 10-Aug-18 20:30:13

X posts Day6 smile

lemongrove Fri 10-Aug-18 20:29:27

Internet shopping has done for a lot of shops and stores in the High St. HOF may need a change.

Day6 Fri 10-Aug-18 20:28:41

My first thought was that he would be asset-stripping. I hope I am proved wrong.

I am not sure a string of department stores is a good investment either, given the way in which the high street is slowly closing down, shop by shop, as people choose more and more to shop online. Many stores like John Lewis and Selfridges tend to cater for those who have few worries about income and the price of goods.

lemongrove Fri 10-Aug-18 20:27:54

What Monica says.

Elrel Fri 10-Aug-18 20:24:21

House of Fraser stores actually were 'the Harrods of the High Street'. This was long ago when Harrods WAS Harrods and the High Street WAS the High Street. I think that time has passed and we can't go back.

M0nica Fri 10-Aug-18 20:01:58

It said on the news this evening that his ambition has always been to own a chain of department stores, so he may now be doing just that.

I think he will need to go through the portfolio of stores and decide which he thinks he can upgrade and make profitable. At least that is better than the group collapsing completely with all the stores closed and all staff redundant.

PECS Fri 10-Aug-18 17:26:13

I am not holding my breath for any improvements for shop workers nor for consumers!

We have a HoF in the nearby town which has all the usual concessions from Joseph/Kaliko/ Top Shop so covers arranges of styles and purses. Sport Direct is already on the top floor of the Debenhams..in the same town

Big business & money call the shots and the general public seems to think it is OK to have low pay/uncertain hours for some sectors of society and empty shops on the High St etc. so it will happen!

GrannyGravy13 Fri 10-Aug-18 17:18:49

trisher I think it is odd, and we will have to wait and see what he does with H of F assets. I shop in HofF frequently and hope he does not go down the cheap and cheerful road with products. Feel for the people fearing for their job security.

trisher Fri 10-Aug-18 17:13:44

Is it wrong of me to think that this is a bit dodgy and that his claimed ambition to create "Harrods of the High Street" is a load of old cobblers? After all Sports Direct isn't reknowned for anything except perhaps low pay. Is this in fact just another take over where the assets will be disposed of and whatever remains sold for a song? I suppose only time will tell.