‘It’s such a shame’: Leeds shoppers react to Harvey Nichols closure plans
The department store has been a fixture of Leeds for 30 years
Leeds shoppers have described the reported closure of Harvey Nichols as a “huge shame” and “big disappointment” as the department store prepares to disappear from the city’s high street after almost 30 years.
The luxury retailer’s Briggate store is set to be converted into a Flannels branch, according to reports from Vogue Business, after Harvey Nichols was bought by Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group earlier this year.
The closure would mark the end of an era for the Leeds store, which opened in October 1996 as Harvey Nichols’ first branch outside of London.
For some shoppers, however, it has become much more than somewhere to buy clothes.
Friends Christine Wilson and Sue Jack regularly visit Harvey Nichols’ restaurant upstairs, particularly on special occasions.
Sue told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “We’ve been coming here for years to celebrate our birthdays or Christmas. We’ve tried so many different places too, but this is the one we’ve always liked.
“It’s such a special place, and the staff know what we like here.”
Christine recalled how the staff had supported and comforted them both during an especially difficult time in their lives.
She shared: “We were sitting in the restaurant with tears streaming, and one of the staff members came over with two glasses of champagne and said, ‘it’s on me’.”
Ian Williams, who brought his wife Mary to the store for her 71st birthday today, said its size and variety of products would be difficult to replace.
“It’s a store that has everything you could ever want, so its closure will certainly be a disappointment to a lot of people,” he told the YEP.
Rosalind Bradley said she was “a bit sad” to see such an iconic Leeds shop go, but questioned the decision to replace it with a Flannels.
“There’s a Flannels just down the street, so I don’t quite understand that decision,” she said.
It remains unclear what would happen to that site if the Harvey Nichols plans go ahead.
She also warned the closure could affect Leeds as a shopping destination, saying Harvey Nichols was an attraction for people visiting the city.
Avid shopper Lauren Alder said the store’s reputation for brands and customer service would be dearly missed.
She said: “It’s such a big part of Leeds and the high street, and it’s a huge shame to see another shop shutting down in the city centre.
“We're moving further away from the high street and more towards online shopping everyday.”
Frasers Group has been contacted for comment.