Frasers Group, the owner of Sports Direct, has announced plans to shutter Harvey Nichols’ Birmingham location effective January, with the closure affecting at least 60 employees. The decision comes as part of a broader restructuring following the parent company’s acquisition of Harvey Nichols in mid-August for £43 million when the department store chain entered administration.
Under the new ownership structure, the Leeds and Bristol Harvey Nichols stores will be rebranded as Flannels locations. The London and Edinburgh Harvey Nichols outlets are expected to maintain their current branding, though the future status of the Manchester location remains unclear. The Birmingham store, which has operated for 25 years, will cease trading entirely. Staff received notification of the closure earlier in the week, according to industry reports.
The acquisition preserved roughly 1,000 of Harvey Nichols Group’s approximately 1,200 positions and six UK stores. The group’s international presence includes locations in Riyadh, Dubai, Doha, Kuwait, and Hong Kong, though a Dublin outlet was closed by administrators in September. The company’s headquarters at its Knightsbridge London location will remain operational.
Michael Murray, chief executive of Frasers Group, outlined ambitions to expand the luxury division through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. Frasers has pursued an aggressive acquisition strategy in recent years, including the 2018 purchase of House of Fraser from administration and the development of the Flannels luxury fashion chain. The group recently increased its stake in German fashion label Hugo Boss to 48%, moving closer to majority control despite resistance from the company’s board.
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