Cheltenham's historic department store, Cavendish House, has confirmed it is to close its doors.

The store employs around 90 staff, who were told yesterday (January 17) that it would be closing in April. Signs in the windows are advertising all stock is reduced.

The iconic 14,000 sq ft, four storey store on The Promenade opened in 1823. It was acquired by House of Fraser in 1970.

Frasers Group intends to cut the number of House of Fraser stores from 59 to 31 over the coming months.

Reacting to the news, Alex Chalk MP for Cheltenham, said: "After 201 years, this is the end of an era. My thoughts are with the staff who have given fantastic service to the store and to Cheltenham, and for who this will be a difficult time. They should be offered every support in the coming weeks.

"Looking forward, this is an opportunity to inject new life into the Prom. I favour a mixed-use development, with a blend of retail, recreation and quality town centre accommodation. With constant pressure to bulldoze green spaces on the edge of town, this is our chance to meet some of that demand.

"I will be working with Cheltenham BID and local businesses to begin a new chapter for Cavendish House as a thriving asset for our town."

The building is owned by Canada Life, which also owns Regent Arcade.

Max Wilkinson, Cheltenham Borough Council's lead on economic development and the Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Cheltenham, said: "Cavendish House is a massive part of this town's story, and this news is a real pity, particularly for those of us who care about the heritage of our town.

"However, it is not a surprise to anyone, given the fortunes of House of Fraser and the changes we've seen in every town centre caused by changing shopping habits. The ongoing economic turbulence and cost-of-living crisis, caused by many factors, including the disastrous Liz Truss budget, clearly haven't helped either.

"The owners of the building should bring forward a plan for the site without delay. It cannot be allowed to stand empty for an indefinite period. Those plans should include converting a substantial part of the upper floorspace currently used for retail into much-needed town centre homes."

Tracey Birkinshaw director of community and economic development at Cheltenham Borough Council, said: "Town centres across the UK are changing and reflect the customer shift to online shopping, as well as a change in spending habits, particularly in response to the cost-of-living crisis. This has led to the closure of many well-known names on high streets across the UK.

"The council is working hard with the business community to bring about change and fill empty units with new shops, leisure buildings and more, while supporting conversion of shops to alternative uses, including much-needed new homes.

"Despite the news that Cavendish House will close, Cheltenham continues to out-perform most towns and cities. We have a vacancy rate below the national average and recognise that retail and hospitality are both key sectors in our economy, but also part of the heart of our community.

"The council is committed to ensuring residents, communities and businesses benefit from Cheltenham's vibrancy, future growth and prosperity. We will continue our pre-application discussions with the developer, encouraging them to make use of the space in the meantime, by exploring temporary or community uses. This could see the site used for a period of time before a planning application is received and determined for its future long-term use.''

Heath Gunter, chief executive of Cheltenham BID, said: "The closure of House of Fraser in Cheltenham is regrettable, and my condolences go out to the dedicated staff.

"Notwithstanding this setback, it is imperative to recognise that town centres are in a constant state of evolution. While the closure of a major store represents a loss, it simultaneously presents opportunities for alternative uses of the space, injecting new vitality into The Promenade.

"Cheltenham's town centre demonstrates resilience, and this transformative moment offers a chance for local businesses to thrive. We are actively supporting the arrival of new businesses into the town and several other vacant units will soon be occupied by a diverse array of exciting establishments."

Another Frasers Group brand, Evans Cycles, had only moved into Cavendish House a few weeks ago, following the closure of the Cheltenham branch in Kingsditch just before Christmas.

Punchline-Gloucester.com said: "This is really sad news, but not a surprise. It's felt inevitable ever since Mike Ashley bought the business.

"Canada Life which owns the building hasn't invested in the property for a long time and it will be interesting to see what they do next with it. Punchline has heard they don't act quickly, so let's hope the powers that be can push them along and it doesn't stay vacant for long, as it's such an important landmark for the town.

"Unfortunately, Cavendish House was caught in a perfect storm of a retail downturn and the growth of shopping online. The reality is, it's become a shop that most people don't stop at, but just walk through, similar to what happened at Debenhams in Gloucester. And University of Gloucestershire won't be there to save this building!"

House of Fraser went into administration in 2018, when Mike Ashley's Sports Direct chain bought the business for £90 million. Mike Ashley's entire business was later rebranded as Frasers Group. The Cirencester branch of House of Fraser closed in early 2019.

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