Removal vans move in on closed House of Fraser in Darlington

It was the end of an era on Sunday (March 8) as the High Row department store closed its doors to shoppers after more than a century in the town. 

The store was due to shut in April – but earlier last week it emerged that the final day had been brought forward to Sunday with just days’ notice. 

Yesterday, sad pictures from inside of the Binns building – which is also now up for sale – showed empty shelves, storage boxes and unclothed mannequins as bargain hunters tried to find a last minute deal before the deadline. 

And while the store is now closed to the public, pictures taken today show how the store’s interior has already been gutted. 

Removal vans can be seen parked on High Row while teams in high-vis jackets work inside, with the ground floor now largely empty and metal containers full of rubbish visible. 

The reason for the closure still remains unknown – with Frasers Group refusing to comment on the news despite numerous attempts from The Northern Echo. 

When the closure date was confirmed as Sunday, John Taylor, director of Parker Barras and agent of the owner, said: “I have had no further contact with House of Fraser to confirm what they are doing. Our thoughts go out to the staff”. 

The closure comes weeks after the Binns building was put up for sale for an undisclosed fee as an “incredible investment opportunity”. 

Last November, plans were approved to split the building into six individual shops in a bid to “keep options open” for the future. 

There are indicative drawings for the upper floors to be transformed into 73 apartments with a gym and remote working space, or alternatively office space.