Landlord row forces House of Fraser to close another store
Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley has been forced to close another House of Fraser store after being served notice by the landlord.
The branch in Dundrum, near Dublin, will close within the next three months after the property’s landlord agreed a deal with Brown Thomas and Primark.
Ashley warned in December that it was likely that more unprofitable House of Fraser stores will close over the next 12 months, saying that before the Sports Direct acquisition the department store chain was “dead, finished, destroyed”.
The businessman has previously lashed out at property owners, said “greedy” landlords were to blame for the closure of three House of Fraser stores.
Sports Direct – which was recently rebranded as Frasers Group in a bid to move upmarket – is still planning to launch a new chain of luxury stores called Frasers.
In a statement this morning House of Fraser said: “Despite our best efforts over the last 12 months, we have been served notice by our landlords in Dundrum.
“Unfortunately, the landlord has agreed an alternative deal with Brown Thomas and Primark.
“As a result, House of Fraser Dundrum will close within the next three months.
“Whilst this announcement is unexpected, we remain committed to the imminent launch of our new Frasers stores, as well as continuing to strengthen the House of Fraser brand throughout the UK and Ireland.
“Our immediate priority now turns to our employees in Dundrum; we remain hopeful that many of them will now be employed by the new tenant.”