The new 'Jenners' will need to be something special – John McLellan

Jenners department store has been a fixture on Princess Street since the 1800s (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)Jenners department store has been a fixture on Princess Street since the 1800s (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Jenners department store has been a fixture on Princess Street since the 1800s (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
A clear sign of the changing face of Princes Street will be the departure of House of Fraser, a fixture since establishing itself in the West End in 1953 when Fraser’s bought the Binn’s department stores and now set to leave for good when its 15-year association with the Jenners building ends in May.

Having closed the West End store in 2018, leaving Princes Street has been on the cards for the Mike Ashley-owned business for some months, but negotiations about moving into the new St James centre fell through and the unit will instead be occupied by upmarket bowling and games operator Lane 7.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The failure of Frasers to reach agreement with the Jenners building owner, Danish retail clothing billionaire Anders Povlsen, lays the foundations for a dispute over the name, with the site set to remain a store and keep the Jenners signage, while Fraser’s retains the right to the trading name.

Read More
Last of three generations of Jenners workers recalls fond family memories in ple...

And as Rangers supporters know well, Mr Ashley is no stranger to courtroom battles to defend his rights.

It’s unlikely many will mourn the departure of Fraser’s from South St David Street, long a pale imitation of what Jenners used to be, so all retail eyes will be on what Mr Povlsen’s business can do with the Grand Old Lady that Fraser’s couldn’t, and how it both complements and competes with the new St James centre as a leisure shopping destination.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In the face of all-consuming internet shopping and a shiny new mall across the road, it will need to be special.

John McLellan is a Conservative councillor for Craigentinny/Duddingston

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.