Troubled store’s ‘no’ to vouchers
HOUSE of Fraser has stopped accepting all gift vouchers as the chain store prepares to be bought out.
Signs were posted at its store in Dundrum, Co. Dublin, telling customers of the decision by the troubled retail chain’s administrators, EY.
The upmarket Dublin store is being bought by leisurewear firm Sports Direct Group, which has also agreed to purchase other House of Fraser outlets across the UK.
GIFT vouchers can no longer be spent at House of Fraser’s Dublin store as the chain prepares to be bought out by Sports Direct Group.
Signs at the chain’s outlet in Dundrum Shopping Centre tell customers that vouchers will not be accepted for payment at present.
‘Unfortunately we will no longer be accepting gift card/ vouchers as a form of payment until further notice,’ a sign read. ‘This will include €10 bounce back vouchers. Apologies for any inconveniences caused.’
House of Fraser administrators EY confirmed the store will not accept branded gift vouchers or Dundrum Town Centre vouchers either. House of Fraser’s €10 bounce back vouchers had been given to customers who had spent €50 or more in store previously.
In a statement the administrator dealing with the sale, EY, confirmed the use of gift cards and vouchers has been suspended at the store.
‘To have a different approach would have caused confusion and we are evaluating the position with the Sports Direct Group,’ said EY.
It advised those with vouch Dublin Flagship: House of Fraser’s store in Dundrum, Co. Dublin ers and gift cards to keep branch of the chain. them, stating they would On Friday a spokeswoman either be required to submit for EY explained the takeover claims to the administrators process in Ireland differed to or could be used if the suspension the UK’s so would take longer was lifted. as a result.
EY said the decision to stop The acquisition of the Irish the use of vouchers in the branch of House of Fraser by Dublin store was consistent the sportswear firm will first with stores acquired by the have to be approved by the Sports Direct Group. ‘The Competition and Consumer administrators are discussing Protection Commission. this matter with the Sports It is understood that Sports Direct Group as the owner of Direct, controlled by Premier the House of Fraser stores League club Newcastle United’s outside of the Republic of Ireland, owner Mike Ashley, purchased and will evaluate the situation the House of Fraser on an ongoing basis for chain for £90million the Dundrum store’, said EY. (€101million).
Last week plans were Dermott Jewell of the Consumers’ announced to buy 58 of House Association of Ireland of Fraser’s UK stores but a said House of Fraser is still deal has yet to be finalised in trading so the vouchers should relation to the takeover of the be honoured. He said the vouchers were ‘basically money paid in advance’ so House of Fraser had ‘to give value for it even if it is to be just for a dedicated period of weeks and I think that is what needs to happen here’.
He said: ‘There is very little regulation in or around the protection of consumers who are holding credit notes when a company decides to, if you like, alter its stance. But the bottom line is that this is money paid in advance so it has to be honoured and I think a declaration as to why it could or would not [be honoured] needs to be made
‘They should be honoured’
immediately so that they can be taken to task.’
Mr Jewell added that this issue needs to be tackled in order to protect consumers in the future. ‘It is probably going to take the minister at the Department of Business, Enterprise, and Innovation to tackle this on behalf of consumers because that is the department that monitors relations,’ said Mr Jewell.
Mr Jewell said that issues such as this where vouchers are not being redeemed has happened before with HMV and others.
Comment – Page 12 jane.fallon.griffin@dailymail.ie