House of Fraser to anchor Chester development

House of Fraser is set to anchor a new 300 million pound retail development in Chester, which will open in 2021.

The department store chain will open a 100,000 square foot store, spread over three floors within the Chester Northgate development. The store will include its selection of premium fashion labels alongside a large health and beauty department, as well as a rooftop restaurant with views over Chester’s historic racecourse.

Frank Slevin, executive chairman of House of Fraser, said: “We are very pleased to announce that we have signed an agreement to open an anchor store at Chester Northgate. Chester is an exciting location for us, being at the centre of a thriving regional economy. With its modern design, Chester Northgate will rejuvenate Chester city centre attracting more visitors and creating a dynamic retail environment.

“The new store clearly cements our commitment to and vision for the future growth of House of Fraser. The growth of our store portfolio and the further development of House of Fraser’s multichannel offer provides solid foundations for the ongoing transformation of the business, ultimately driving a great customer experience.”

The 500,000 square foot Chester Northgate complex aims to redevelop Chester’s city centre, and will house 70 stores including House of Fraser as an anchor tenant, alongside cafés and restaurants, a new four-star Crowne Plaza hotel, and a six-screen Picturehouse cinema, as well as the city’s largest car park. The development will also have more than 70 new homes.

On completion, it is hoped that Chester Northgate will not only revitalise the city centre shopping experience, but also push Chester back into the UK’s top 50 retail centres, and boost the city’s overall economy. Construction will be in three phases with phased openings leading up to the anticipated completion of the whole scheme in late 2021.

Chester retail development signs up House of Fraser

Chester Council Leader Samantha Dixon added: “Being able to attract brands like House of Fraser, Picturehouse and Crowne Plaza is a measure of the appeal of Chester Northgate to other occupiers and investors and reinforces our ambition to return Chester to its rightful place as a leading shopping and leisure destination.

“We believe Chester Northgate to be one of the UK’s biggest emerging retail-led city centre developments. The project shows that Cheshire West and Chester Council is pioneering innovative new ways of driving growth and underlines our consistent commitment to steering the big projects that will transform Chester city centre.”

Chester Northgate is being developed by Cheshire West and Chester Council, assisted by development manager Rivington Land.

David Lewis, chief executive at Rivington Land, said: “With the signings of House of Fraser and Crowne Plaza, following the announcement of Picturehouse as the cinema operator, we are reaching an exciting time for the Chester Northgate development. The commitment from major brands serves as recognition of the huge potential of a revitalised Chester city centre.

“We are now in the process of agreeing terms with other major retailers as well as catering operators, who have also recognised the innovative approach of Cheshire West and Chester Council in driving this scheme forward. Chester Northgate has been designed to meet the future requirements of national, regional and local retail and leisure occupiers and will act as a catalyst for the regeneration of Chester.”

Illustrations: courtesy of Chester Northgate