Darlington Council deputy leader Chris McEwan said the health of the town centre remains a 'top priority' following the announcement that the flagship Binns store would be closing. 

Frasers Group, which owns the House of Fraser brand, revealed today (Thursday, September 19) that it would be closing its doors for good in December. 

The closure - which was due to the landlord's decision to terminate the lease - sparked fears that it would mark the “death of the town”. 

READ MORE: Binns closure

Cabinet member for economy Cllr Chris McEwan described the news as “extremely disappointing”, saying it was an “end of an era”.

He told The Northern Echo on Thursday that he would be “actively seeking to engage with the landlord to understand what plans are in place, and can we help them if we are able to”. 

Chris McEwanChris McEwan (Image: Contributor)

The looming closure of House of Fraser marks yet another blow to the town centre, which has seen several big-name chains pull out in recent years including Marks and Spencer, BHS, and most recently Wilko.

The Binns store in Darlington has a rich history in the townThe Binns store in Darlington has a rich history in the town

However, Binns bucked the national trend, outlasting other chains in Darlington and fighting against the Covid pandemic and the cost of living crisis. 

Now, the iconic High Row department store will be left empty - with plans for its future currently remaining unknown. 

It comes months after The Northern Echo revealed the building was up for sale with a price tag of £1m - described as a “significant town centre repositioning opportunity”. 

The brochure for the listing states the building could be suited to “an array of alternative uses” - with one option detailing the refurbishment of the site to form high-quality retail and leisure units on the lower floor and residential, office, or hotel use for the upper floors.

Lola McEvoy, Labour MP for Darlington, promised to “do everything” to advocate for the town and “engage anyone interested in taking over this amazing historic building.”

Closing down signs were put up on the windows of the storeClosing down signs were put up on the windows of the store (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

She said: “With its superb and diverse range of independent shops, cafes and bars, our town centre remains an ideal place to do business and have a great day out.”

However, concerns have since been raised by Conservative councillor and leader of the opposition at Darlington Council Jonathan Dulston, who said the Binns closure was “an example of Labour locally not having a grip on the town or any plans for the future of the high street”. 

He argued it was “Labour incompetence” that would “see the high street into further decline” - while also claiming the scrapping of a free parking scheme in the town was to blame for a “decline in footfall in the town centre”.

Binns will close in DecemberBinns will close in December (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen also argued that reintroducing free car parking “is a necessary step to give shops in Darlington a fighting chance”.

While the Binns closure announcement was met with both sadness and disappointment, retail consultant Graham Soult argued that it was “not exactly a surprise”. 

However, he said that he would be surprised if the building - which has been occupied by the chain since November 1925 - was kept empty. 

"It is likely that, if the landlord is doing that, they would have some kind of plans for the building," he added. "It does suggest that plans may be afoot.” 

He said it would be "easy to see the iconic Binns property being ripe for mixed-use reinvention" - and said he doesn't believe this kind of development “can’t happen in Darlington”.

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A full statement from Frasers, which runs the House of Fraser brand, said: “It is with regret that we announce House of Fraser Darlington will be closing in December 2024, due to the landlord's decision to terminate the lease as they require the unit back before Christmas.

"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 committed to finding new roles within the group for staff.”