Big-name retailer poised to sign up for ground-floor of former House of Fraser store in Freshney Place

       

A new future beckons for the former House of Fraser store which closed six years ago

A NATIONALLY-known retailer is poised to take out a lease on most of the ground floor of the former  House of Fraser store in Grimsby's Freshney Place.

At next Wednesday's cabinet meeting, members will be recommended to approve the letting of the NELC-owned building  subject to terms being finalised.

This may involve the council, which acquired the property for £350,000 in 2023, making a hefty "contribution" towards refurbishment of the property.

This could be as much as  £3.8-million - a sum thought to have been diverted from the  Grimsby Library refurbishment scheme which has controversially been scrapped.

And it is likely to be another two years before the ground floor of the former department store reopens for business in its new guise.

Details of the proposed deal - including the identity of the "nationally recognised" retailer - are mostly  being kept under wraps on grounds of confidentiality, but some information is revealed in a report to councillors.

This states:  "Principal negotiations have now been concluded with a well-known retail tenant for the majority of the ground floor of the former HoF. 

"This includes for the council to undertake works to the property in advance of  July 15, 2027 in readiness for handover to the tenant.  

"The ground floor, which has frontages both to the shopping mall and to Victoria Street, is the key aspect of the building.

"The proposed letting will enhance a hitherto unoccupied building,  contribute to the wider regeneration of the town centre, complement ongoing projects and improve investor confidence."

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Freshney Place, NELC says principal negotiations have now been concluded for two further "well-known" leisure-based anchor tenants.

It says these will complement the previously signed deals with Parkway Cinemas and Starbucks,