An entire floor at Wolverhampton’s flagship Beatties department store is set to close completely, it was announced today.
Bosses have revealed plans to shut the basement floor and move its stock upstairs.
The store’s toy department used to be housed in the basement before it was controversially axed in June.
The home department is currently located there but it will now be moved to the ground floor under the new plans.
A spokeswoman for Beatties owner House of Fraser said: “We are planning to close the basement of the Wolverhampton store and re-locate the home department to the ground floor.
“This is part of our ongoing stores refurbishment programme to deliver the best possible shopping experience to our customers.”
It is not known if any jobs will be lost or what will happen to the basement once its stock is moved. It is believed the floor could close within weeks.
House of Fraser has once again been accused of tearing the store apart “piece by piece” by campaigners.
A source close to the store said today: “It is just the continuation of the downward spiral.”
8 Comments
No big deal, have to say that the store has improved immensely since becoming House of Fraser, under the Beatties name became old and tired whereas now it is far more vibrant and if that means closing more sections and making people redundant to improve the store so be it, people shouldnt oppose progress
No 1 Still not gone South ? Tis you that must be jelous…your still here !
My gram lunched on fish n chips there, or egg n cress sandwiches, and i’d go and get lost in the toy department. She’s dead and i’m 40. times change.things move on and memories are there to enjoy
May I ask if Torquay Man has walked through ‘House of Fraser’ lately? I definately wouldn’t call it vibrant! The store looks dismal and empty because it’s lost it’s personal touch. I’m all for improvement and progress but I hate to say that the people making the decisions at House of Fraser have got it wrong!
What a sad day. I used to spend many happy days down in the basement with the children and the toys.
i hate HOF as they call it i think the down to earth people that worked in beatties have turned into stuck up, nasty sales assistants that think they have some importance to the world! i think its a shame that they are closing the ground floor as it was the only bit that still had the lovely dears working there that loved to help you regardless if it was 12pm or 5pm! and the manager needs to get a grip of himself i saw him telling his staff off on the shop floor now have some respect for your staff
I worked at burtons the tailors on the corner of victoria street/darlington street.
spent many lunchtimes downstairs looking at all the toys.
often saw mr beattie in his green bentley,wish time could sometimes stand still.
i’m so tired of all the complaints - beatties is dead now and i wish they would hurry up and take the sign from above the door, its not beatties so why advertise it as that?