Former regional groups House of Fraser previously traded under many different, long established brand names. A number of regional groups of stores were acquired and subsequently extended or amalgamated. The Arnotts, Frasers and Rackhams groups were created by House of Fraser from scratch. These key groups, together with the flagship store of each one, and the regions to which they are largely associated are: •
Army & Navy,
Victoria Street, London and south-east England •
Arnotts, mid-market stores in
Glasgow and across Scotland •
Beatties,
Wolverhampton, stores based in the Midlands. •
Binns,
Sunderland, the north and east of England •
Dickins & Jones,
Regent Street, London and the home counties •
Dingles,
Plymouth and south-west England •
David Evans,
Swansea and south Wales • Frasers, up-market stores in
Glasgow,
Edinburgh and other principal Scottish cities •
Rackhams,
Birmingham, the Midlands and the north of England.
Former non department store businesses House of Fraser owned several other retail businesses that were not department stores. In 1941, Fraser's purchased the furniture retailer Muir Simpson of Sauchiehall Street,
Glasgow, while J & A Ogilvie Ltd was added in 1966 after the purchase of Wylie and Lochhead. Another business that was gained by purchasing Wylie and Lochhead was funeral directors, which were grown by further purchases. The company also owned clothing manufacturers Nithco Manufacturing, Arthur & Co, and John Kirsop & Son. They also operated clothing stores including: • Carswell (The Modern Man's Shop) • Cochranes Stores • McLaren & Son (closed 1981) • Forresters • Kings Fashions • Logie & Co. • Maryon Fashion Group (after purchase of J J Allen) • Chanelle (after purchase of J J Allen) in addition to growing its sports chain Astral Sports which it had purchased in 1978.
Former branches Over the years, the following branches were closed, sold as
going concerns or demerged from the business and no longer trade as part of the company. All outlets were department stores unless otherwise stated. •
Aberdeen,
Arnotts (formerly
Isaac Benzie; acquired 1955; closed 25 January 1986. The store was at 143-167 George Street) • Aberdeen, Frasers (formerly Falconers / John Falconer & Co.; acquired 1952; closed 2002. The store was at 57-67
Union Street) • Aberdeen, Watt & Grant (acquired 1952; closed 28 November 1981. The store was at 221-229 Union Street) • Aberdeen, Watt & Grant Bookshop (books and stationery; formerly A & R Milne & Wyllies and originally Wyllies / D Wyllie & Son; acquired 1966; closed 29 March 1986. The shop was originally at 247 Union Street and expanded to occupy 247-251 Union Street following the closure of Watt & Grant Man's Shop in 1981) • Aberdeen, Watt & Grant Man's Shop (menswear; opened 25 May 1966 in premises previously occupied by W J Milne; closed 28 November 1981 with the premises incorporated into Watt & Grant Bookshop. The shop was at 249-251 Union Street) • Aberdeen, Watt & Milne (acquired 1955; closed 1966. Following closure the premises were converted to Young World, an outlet of Watt & Grant devoted to children. This business was moved into the main Watt & Grant store in 1968. The store was at 166-172 Union Street) •
Abu Dhabi, World Trade Center Abu Dhabi, House of Fraser (opened October 2013; closed 2016) •
Abu Dhabi, Yas Mall, House of Fraser (opened June 2015; closed 2021) •
Altrincham,
Rackhams (opened 1978; closed 31 August 2020. The store was at 2 George Street) •
Aviemore, Arnotts (opened 1973; closed 1986. The store was in Allander Square, Aviemore Centre) •
Ayr, Arnotts (formerly Hourstons / David Hourston & Sons; acquired 1949; renamed Arnotts 22 January 1973; sold as a going concern to McMaster Stores in 1989, after which the name of the store reverted to Hourstons. The store was at 22-30 Alloway Street) •
Banbridge, Foster Newell (owned jointly with
Waterford Glass; opened 1976; closed 1978. The store was at 52 Bridge Street) •
Banff, Arnotts (formerly
Benzie & Miller and originally Joseph Rankine; acquired 1958; renamed Arnotts 22 January 1973; sold as a going concern to McMaster Stores in 1989, after which the name of the store reverted to Benzies. The store was at 34 High Street) • Bath,
Jollys / Jolly & Son (acquired 1971; closed 22 February 2025. The store was at 7-14 Milsom Street) •
Belfast,
Bank Buildings (Robertson Ledlie Ferguson & Co. trading as Bank Buildings; acquired 1969; closed 1979. The store was at 1-27 Castle Street, Castle Place) • Belfast, Newells (acquired jointly with Waterford Glass in 1971; closed 23 December 1975. The store was at 41-51
Royal Avenue) • Belfast, Savills (electrical appliances; acquired 1975; sold as a going concern to
Rediffusion in 1978. The store was at 22 High Street) •
Bellshill, Arnotts (formerly Bairds; acquired 1970; sold as a going concern to McMaster Stores in 1989, after which the name of the store reverted to Bairds. The store was at 250-256 Main Street) •
Birkenhead, House of Fraser (formerly
Beatties and originally Allansons; acquired 2005; closed 25 March 2020. The store was at 92 Grange Road) •
Birmingham, Beatties (previously the Birmingham branch of
C & A; acquired 2005; closed 2006. The store was at 14-28
Corporation Street) •
Blackpool,
Binns (formerly R H O Hills; acquired 1975; closed 1987. The store was at 50-68 Bank Hey Street) •
Bournemouth,
Dingles (formerly
J J Allen; acquired 1969; closed 1981. The store was at 68-70 Old Christchurch Road) •
Bristol, Dingles (formerly Brights, preceded by the Bristol branch of
Bobby & Co. and originally John Cordeux & Sons; acquired 1969; renamed Dingles 2 September 1974; closed 15 January 2000. The store was at 46-56 Queen's Road,
Clifton) • Bristol, Jollys (acquired 1971; closed 1977. The store was at 62-66
Whiteladies Road, Clifton) •
Bromley, Army & Navy (formerly Harrison Gibson; acquired 1973; closed 2004. The store was at 64 High Street and Ringers Road) •
Camberley, House of Fraser (formerly Army & Navy and originally Harveys; acquired 1973; closed 7 May 2023. The store was at 47-51 Park Street) •
Cardiff, House of Fraser (formerly
Howells / James Howell & Co.; acquired 1972; closed 26 March 2023. The store was at 8-18 St Mary Street) • Cardiff, Seccombes (acquired 1975; closed 1976. The store was at 79-85 Queen Street) •
Carlisle, House of Fraser (formerly Binns and originally Robinson Brothers; acquired 1953; closed 24 May 2024. The store was at 18-40 English Street) •
Chichester, House of Fraser (formerly Army & Navy and originally J D Morant; acquired 1973; closed 26 January 2019. The store was at 11-18 West Street) •
Cork, Cash's / Cash & Co. (acquired jointly with Waterford Glass in 1971, full ownership obtained in 1985; sold as a going concern to
Brown Thomas in 1991. The store was at 18-21
St Patrick's Street) •
Cumbernauld, Arnotts (opened 1975 in premises previously occupied by a branch of Bows of Glasgow in
Cumbernauld Town Centre; closed 1978) •
Dingwall, Arnotts (formerly C & J Urquhart; acquired March 1974; renamed Arnotts on 11 April 1975; closed 31 August 1985. The store was at 4 High Street and 1-2 Hill Street) •
Doncaster, Brown Muff (acquired 1977; closed 1978. The store was in West Mall,
Arndale Centre) •
Dorchester, Dingles (formerly Army & Navy and originally Genge & Co.; acquired 1973; closed 23 April 1988. The store was at 11-12 High West Street) •
Dudley, Beatties (acquired 2005; closed 23 January 2010. The store was at 32 Churchill Precinct) •
Dumfries, Binns (formerly Robinson Brothers and originally William Munro; acquired 1953; closed 1990. The store was at 89-95 High Street) •
Dundrum, House of Fraser (opened 2005; closed 2020. The store was at Unit 1,
Dundrum Town Centre) •
Eastbourne, Army & Navy (formerly
Barkers and originally Dale & Kerley; acquired 1957; closed 28 March 1998. The store was at 177-187 Terminus Road) • Edinburgh,
3-29 North Bridge, Arnotts (formerly
Patrick Thomson; acquired 1952; renamed Arnotts in 1976; closed 1982) • Edinburgh, 74-87 South Bridge, Arnotts (formerly J & R Allan; acquired 1952; renamed Arnotts in 1972; closed 1976) • Edinburgh, J D Blair & Son (acquired 1952; closed 1968. The store was at 1-17 and, after absorbing McIntyres in 1953, 37-41 Nicholson Street,
Newington) • Edinburgh, Smalls / William Small & Son (acquired 1946; closed 1977. The store was at 104-106 Princes Street) •
Elgin, Arnotts (formerly Benzie & Miller and originally A L Ramsay & Son; acquired 1958; renamed Arnotts 22 January 1973; closed 1987. The store was at 121-133 High Street) •
Evesham, Rackhams (formerly Rightons; acquired 1975; closed 1981. The store was at Manchester House, 1-3 High Street and 3 Bridge Street) •
Exeter, House of Fraser (formerly Dingles and originally
Colsons; acquired 1969; closed 2 November 2019. The store was at 30-35 High Street) •
Glasgow,
167-201 Argyle Street,
Arnotts (formerly Arnott Simpson and originally the separate stores of Arnott & Co. and Robert Simpson & Sons; both businesses acquired 1936 and merged as Arnott Simpson in 1938; closed 26 February 1994) • Glasgow,
83-97 Sauchiehall Street, Arnotts (formerly
Pettigrew & Stephens, relocated to the site in 1971 and renamed Arnotts in 1974; closed 1977 on relocation to Sauchiehall Street Centre. The premises were originally occupied by Alexander Henderson, acquired 1970) • Glasgow, 200 Sauchiehall Street, Arnotts (formerly Muirheads / Thomas Muirhead & Co.; acquired 1936; renamed Arnotts in 1972; closed 1974) • Glasgow, Sauchiehall Street Centre, Arnotts (opened 18 October 1977, originally co-located with
Dalys, Arnotts occupied Ground Floor and Basement and Dalys occupied First, Second and Third Floors of a five floor department store unit. Arnotts vacated the site in 1979, enabling Dalys to expand into the former Arnotts space. Dalys ceased trading in 1982, after which Arnotts returned to the building, opening as a full-line department store in September 1982; closed 25 January 1986) • Glasgow, Colosseum (formerly Dallas's Colosseum and originally Walter Wilson & Co. The Grand Colosseum Warehouse; acquired 1942; closed 31 January 1967. The store was at 60-70 Jamaica Street) • Glasgow, Copland & Lye (premises acquired 1971, the business having already ceased trading; the purchase secured the site for redevelopment. The store was at 165-169 Sauchiehall Street) • Glasgow, Dallas's (acquired 1942; closed 1973. The store was at 160-186 Cowcaddens Street,
Cowcaddens) • Glasgow,
Dalys / Daly & Sons / James Daly & Co. (acquired 1952; closed 1977 on relocation to Sauchiehall Street Centre. The store was at 199-217 Sauchiehall Street) • Glasgow, Southland (opened 1966 in premises previously occupied by Savette supermarket; closed 28 February 1968. The store was at 62-70 Kilmarnock Road,
Shawlands) • Glasgow, Wood & Selby (acquired 1952; closed 1968. The store was at 227-235 New City Road and, after absorbing Duncans in 1952, 1-33 Great Western Road,
St George's Cross) • Glasgow, Wood & Selby's Modern Homes Store (formerly Duncans; acquired 1952; absorbed by Wood & Selby and renamed Wood & Selby's Modern Homes Store in 1952; closed 1968. The store was at 1-33 Great Western Road, St George's Cross) •
Gravesend, Army & Navy (formerly Chiesmans and originally Bon Marché; acquired 1975; closed 1994. The store was at 1a-1b New Road) • Greenock, Shannons / J & S Shannon (acquired 1952; closed 1978. The store was at 29-31 West Blackhall Street) •
Hartlepool, Binns (formerly Gray Peverell; acquired 1953; closed 27 June 1992. The store was at Victoria Road, Hartlepool /
West Hartlepool) •
Helston, Dingles (formerly B Thomas; acquired 1971; closed 3 July 1988. The store was at 37-39 Meneage Street) •
Hove, Army & Navy (formerly Chiesmans, preceded by Stuart Norris and originally Driscolls; acquired 1975; closed 1990. The store was at 141-155 Church Road) •
Hull, House of Fraser (formerly
Hammonds; acquired 1972; closed 4 August 2019. The store was at 1 Paragon Square) •
Ilford, Army & Navy (formerly Chiesmans and originally C W Burnes; acquired 1975; closed 1984. The store was at 104-108 Cranbrook Road) •
Inverness, Arnotts (formerly Benzie & Miller and originally Young & Chapman; acquired 1958; renamed Arnotts 22 January 1973; closed 2003. The store was at 7-17 Union Street) • Kensington,
Pontings / Ponting Brothers (acquired 1957; closed 1970 with the business incorporated into Barkers. The store was at 123-127 Kensington High Street) •
Kilmarnock, Frasers (formerly Hugh Lauder & Co.; acquired 1972; closed 1987. The store was at 45-55 King Street) • Kingston upon Thames, Barkers (home furnishings; opened 1959 in premises previously occupied by Zeeta; closed 1967. The store was at 37 Thames Street) •
Kirkcaldy, Arnotts (formerly Barnet & Morton; acquired October 1975; renamed Arnotts 2 February 1976; closed 1988. The store was at 192-196 High Street) • Leeds,
Schofields (opened in the Schofields Centre in 1990; closed 1996) •
Lewisham, Army & Navy (formerly
Chiesmans; acquired 1975; renamed Army & Navy in 1982; closed 1994. The store was at 33-45 & 47-63 Lewisham High Street) • Liverpool, House of Fraser.com (website 'Buy & Collect' shop; opened 2011; closed 24 August 2016. The shop was at Unit 10, 2-4 Peter's Arcade,
Liverpool One) •
London, King William Street, House of Fraser (opened 2003; closed 29 December 2018. The store was at 68 King William Street) •
London, Oxford Street, House of Fraser (formerly
D H Evans; acquired 1959; closed 22 January 2022. The store was at 308-322 Oxford Street) •
Milton Keynes, House of Fraser (formerly Dickins & Jones; opened 25 September 1981; closed 1 February 2020. The store was at 28 Acorn Walk,
Central Milton Keynes) •
Motherwell, Arnotts (formerly Bairds; acquired 1970; closed 25 January 1986. The store was at 52-60 Merry Street) •
Newcastle upon Tyne, 19-27 Market Street, Binns (formerly Coxon / James Coxon & Co.; acquired 1953; closed 26 March 1977 on relocation to 29-39 Market Street) •
Newry, Foster Newell (acquired jointly with Waterford Glass in 1971; destroyed by incendiary bombing on 24 April 1976 and relocated to Banbridge. The store was at 43-53 Hill Street) • Newton Abbot, Henry Warren & Son (men's and boys' outfitters; acquired 1971; closed 1974 with the business incorporated into Dingles. After closure the premises were converted into a branch of Southwest Rentals, closing in 1977. The shop was at 8 Bank Street) •
Nottingham, House of Fraser (opened 17 September 1997; closed 9 October 2025. The store was at 2 Union Road,
Victoria Centre) •
Oswestry, Rackhams (formerly Bradleys; acquired 1975; closed 1984. The store was at 5-13 Cross Street) •
Paisley, Arnotts (formerly Robert Cochran & Son; acquired 1964; renamed Arnotts 22 January 1973; closed 2003. The store was at 11-15 Gauze Street) •
Penzance, Dingles (formerly John Polglase; acquired 1971; closed 3 July 1988. The store was at 37 Market Place) • Perth, Gordon & Stanfield (acquired 1941. The store was at 32 South Methven Street) •
Peterhead, Arnotts (formerly Benzie & Miller and originally Simpson & Barclay; acquired 1958; renamed Arnotts in 1972; destroyed by fire on 21 October 1977 and not reopened. The store was at 2-8 Marischal Street) •
Portsmouth, John Anstiss (acquired 1975) •
Richmond, House of Fraser (formerly Dickins & Jones; opened September 1969 on the site of Gosling & Sons, acquired 1957; closed September 2020. The store was at 75-81 George Street) • Richmond, Wright Brothers (acquired 1975; sold as a going concern to Owen Owen in 1976 in exchange for Owen Owen's Doncaster store. The store was at 29-34 George Street) •
Salisbury, Clark & Lonnen (acquired 1975. The store was at 33 Butcher Row and 44-54 New Canal) •
Scunthorpe, Binns (opened 19 September 1974; closed 1997. The store was at 28-32 Southgate) •
Shotts, Arnotts (formerly Bairds; acquired 1970; closed 1986. The store was at 162-164 Station Road) • Shrewsbury, House of Fraser (formerly Rackhams and originally
Joseph Della Porta; acquired 1975; closed 12 January 2019. The store was at 36-38 High Street) •
Southport, Binns (formerly Alexanders; acquired 1975; closed 1981. The store was at 377-389
Lord Street) •
South Shields, Binns (formerly Fowler & Brock; acquired 1953; closed 1995. The store was at 49-61 King Street) •
Torquay, Dingles (formerly
J F Rockhey; acquired 1959; closed 30 July 1988. The store was at 49-53 Fleet Street and 40-42 Swan Street) •
Whifflet, Arnotts (formerly Bairds and originally a branch of James B Henderson; acquired 1970; renamed Arnotts 2 August 1982; closed 1984. The store was at 13-15 Easton Place) •
Winchester, Army & Navy (formerly Chiesmans and originally D C Edmonds & Sons; acquired 1975; closed 7 April 1984. The store was at 106-107 High Street) •
Wishaw, Arnotts (formerly Bairds / T Baird & Sons; acquired 1970; renamed Arnotts in 1982; closed June 1989. The store was at 86-94 Main Street) •
Worcester, House of Fraser (formerly Beatties; acquired 2005; closed 3 September 2025. The store was at 24
Chapel Walk / Crowngate Shopping Centre) •
Xuzhou, House of Fraser (opened 2017; closed 2017) •
Yeovil, Dingles (formerly Gamis's; acquired 1975; closed 1987. The store was at 3 & 6 High Street and occupied the upper floors of 4-5 High Street, connecting the two premises) == Notes ==