Customer hits out after finding House of Fraser coat in Sports Direct
HOUSE of Fraser in Cabot Circus has been criticised for a “lack of class” after it was found selling the same coats as Sports Direct in Broadmead.
The department store, which is now owned by Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley, sparked a backlash this week after it was revealed it was selling stock from the sports shop.
One customer, who bought a Soulcal coat from House of Fraser in Cabot, has hit out at the department store, accusing it of “devaluing” itself.
The customer, who did not want to be named, explained: “I was really happy to find a beautiful winter coat reduced to £32 in House of Fraser Cabot Circus. The next day I was walking through town and saw the exact same coat for the same price on a sale rail at the front of Sports Direct in Broadmead.
“I don’t want to be seen wearing a cheap Sports Direct coat. House of Fraser at least stands for class. I felt as though this experience had really devalued and let down House of Fraser.
“I hope Mr Ashley has plans for the future that don’t involve mixing stock across stores because he’s already lost one customer.
“How can he ever expect House of Fraser to recover and survive this difficult climate when he’s taking away the values and class the store has always stood for?”
The shopper says they have now given the coat to a local homeless charity to avoid the “hassle” of getting a refund.
House of Fraser has been under scrutiny since it was bought up by billionaire retail tycoon Mr Ashley in August for £90 million.
Just this week the retail boss admitted that a merger between House of Fraser and Debenhams could eventually happen.
Easlier this week Mr Ashley called for a new tax on online retailers as part of a radical change he says is needed to save the high street.
Appearing before MPs, the retail tycoon said any retailer that makes more than 20% of its sales online should be subject to an additional tax.
He said this would encourage
businesses like Sports Direct to open more stores rather than increasingly shifting to digital sales channels.
“It’s not House of Fraser’s fault, it’s not Marks & Spencer’s fault, it’s not Debenhams’s fault the high street is dying,” Mr Ashley said.
“The internet is killing the high street.”
The businessman warned most high streets will not survive until 2030.
He said: “I want to make it crystal clear: the mainstream high street as we think about it today – not the Oxford Streets and the Westfields – are already dead. They can’t survive.”