The historic House of Fraser store on Lincoln’s High Street is due to shut down on 23 May, signalling the termination of a significant period of retail in the city centre. The building, which has hosted department stores since the beginning of the 20th century, presents a formidable challenge with its closure. Steven Spivey of Mundy’s Property Services, an experienced chartered surveyor, voiced his apprehensions about the consequences of losing a crucial ‘anchor tenant.’ ‘It leaves a big void. This grand building needs to be occupied and can’t remain vacant,’ he commented. Spivey also highlighted the problem of securing new tenants, stating that many contemporary retailers and enterprises favour purpose-built spaces as opposed to large, traditional buildings. The site’s legacy can be traced back to its tenure as Mawer and Collingham, a thriving department store established in 1900. House of Fraser later took over in 1980, initially doing business as Binns before switching to its present name. Plans to repurpose the site into a 150-bed hotel with leisure facilities were outlined in 2019, but no developments have occurred and the planning permission has now lapsed. As the city council anticipates fresh proposals, the fate of this key location hangs in the balance.
This report was sourced and tailored from original content found on www.bbc.com by The Lincoln Post.
