One of Europe’s oldest department stores ‘closing down’ after 200 years

A city department store which has been open for over 200 years is “closing down”.

Bath’s Jolly’s, which is one of Europe’s oldest department stores, is currently run by the House of Fraser group. Closing down posters have now been put up in the building’s windows.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES) owns the site and said plans are at “an advanced stage with a new third-party occupier” which could takeover running the building.

House of Fraser group has been approached for comment to confirm when the store will shut.

It comes as sale volumes fell by 0.7% in October, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, with clothing stores having a “notably poor” month.

House of Fraser also closed the doors to its Bristol Cabot Circus store this August, which is due to be replaced by a Marks and Spencer.

A council spokesperson for BANES said that over the last six years, the authority has been “working hard to ensure a secure future for this flagship store at the heart of the Milsom Quarter”.

“A significant element of the plan is to make Jolly’s once again the anchor store for Milsom Street, and a programme of works, which are already underway, will see significant investment in the building over the coming months.

“While plans are at an advanced stage with a third-party occupier, the council is not in a position to make a formal statement at this time in relation to its proposals for the future of one of Bath’s most important department stores,” they added.