Last week, parent company Frasers Group announced that the historic Binns store on High Row would be closing for good later this year. The department store firm confirmed that the lease ends in December - with the last date of trading now set for the end of November, although an exact date is yet to be revealed. The store closure was announced last week (Image: PAUL NORRIS) The controversial closure sparked concerns from shoppers, who feared it could be the "nail in the coffin" for the town .
Some argued that this was "no surprise" and "inevitable" following the closure of House of Fraser in towns such as Middlesbrough, Sunderland, and Gateshead. However, The Northern Echo can now reveal that House of Fraser had in fact planned to stay in its home on High Row "for the foreseeable future", according to a source. House of Fraser has been based in Darlington for decades (Image: PAUL NORRIS) Plans for the building remain unknown with the landlords, understood to be Arab investors, releasing no information on plans for the future.
Frasers Group previously said the landlord required the unit back before Christmas. A spokesperson said: "Our customers can continue to shop the world’s most aspirational brands at Frasers.com, or access more brands from the Group’s ecosystem at Sports Direct Darlington and FLANNELS Darlington at the Cornmill Shopping Centre.
"We would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff for their hard work and dedication. Where possible, we are committe.