With the news that Darlington’s House of Fraser is set to close, the initial reaction is of course one of sadness.
Binns has served the town for more than a century and is the last branch still bearing the name of the once-proud Sunderland-based department store group. In fact, with Debenhams gone everywhere, it is the Tees Valley’s last traditional department store of any kind.
We must put the closure in context, though. If this feels like Groundhog Day, it’s because it is. Six years ago, I was asked to comment on the news that Darlington’s House of Fraser store would close in early 2019, along with 30 other branches nationwide.
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Much has happened since. The House of Fraser business was promptly acquired from its then owners by Sports Direct – later renamed Frasers Group – who, at least initially, kept all 59 stores open.
Promises to create the “Harrods of the High Street" proved wide of the mark, however, with limited investment in the acquired stores and many subsequent closures, including North East branches in Middlesbrough and Metrocentre.
Frasers Group has focused instead on growing its higher-end Frasers concept, as well as other brands like Flannels, which already trades in Darlington, of course.
So, you can reasonably argue that Darlington’s Binns has already survived six years more than it was supposed to.
Over that time, I’ve no doubt that the building’s private-sector owners, and Darlington Borough Council, will have been busy planning for what might happen in case of the store’s eventual closure.
Indeed, it is notable that this latest announcement about the store shutting has been initiated not by Frasers but by the landlord, which would suggest that redevelopment plans for the property are afoot.
It is very likely that Frasers has been paying low, or even no, rent on these premises until now, but property owners can favour this arrangement if it means that the business rates – which I believe are over £100,000 a year for Binns – are paid by the retailer.
If the property sits empty, that rates liability reverts to the landlord.
Looking ahead, it’s easy to see the iconic Binns property being ripe for mixed-use reinvention. Ground-floor units would lend themselves to retail and hospitality uses, bringing renewed activity to the High Row and Blackwellgate frontages.
The upper floors might suit hotel use, or even apartments. And don’t believe that this kind of development “can’t happen in Darlington”.
As I’ve argued many times before in The Northern Echo, the town has much going for it – and that was even before we knew about the Treasury development, or next year’s exciting celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.
Indeed, apart from having some of the most handsome public spaces in the country – just stand outside Binns and soak up that view of High Row and the Clock Tower! – the town’s independent retail and hospitality offer is among the best in the region, which is why I like to visit Darlington from Gateshead so often.
You might be losing Binns, but you still have, for instance, wonderful indie fashion businesses like Leggs, Geoffrey Gillow and All About The Suit. And I still haven’t had a better breakfast than the one I enjoyed at The Wandering Duck.
As I always say, sometimes we need to focus a bit less on what we’ve lost and a bit more on what we have. Losing Binns is unfortunate, but Darlington still has so much for us all to enjoy and be proud of.
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Just last month, in fact, I was singing the town’s praises to an expanding retailer that is on the hunt for new opportunities.
So, as the high street continues to evolve, we can all play our part in supporting those businesses that continue to serve us – while encouraging new ones to see, and embrace, Darlington’s immense potential.
Graham Soult runs the North East-based retail consultancy CannyInsights.com
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