House of Fraser is offering "final reductions" in their High Wycombe store as the closure of the department store looms. 

Signs in the window show that the store is offering 50 per cent off selected items.

Earlier this year, the council said it intends to ‘repurpose’ the 13,000 sqm House of Fraser building in Eden Shopping Centre to “further economic activity and vitality in the town centre”.

It also intends to ‘bring forward much-needed housing and associated benefits’ by repurposing “underutilised space” in the town.

House of Fraser is described as a “short-term” tenant, and that a new “anchor store” with reduced floorspace is desirable.

“House of Fraser occupy the building on a temporary short-term arrangement and there is no certainty that they will remain as tenant,” the council said. “Eden are in on-going discussions with them but regard it as prudent to look at alternative options.

“As with other shopping centres in the UK, these look at bringing in increased family-friendly activity into the building. This will result in reduced retail floorspace, aimed at attracting a new anchor store.”

This comes as Buckinghamshire Council has agreed on a town centre regeneration scheme costing £15m.

The council hopes the scheme will attract new businesses, redevelop redundant sites and create housing in High Wycombe.

The authority will use £11.8m of government funding for the project and will also add £3.2m of its own money to that figure.

As a part of the plans, the Chilterns Shopping Centre is set to be turned into flats.

The developers of the Chilterns Shopping Centre, on Frogmoor, announced the proposal to turn the centre into new homes and shops, and to create a new cut-through avenue between Frogmoor and Priory Road two weeks ago.

In 2019, commercial property consultants Chandler Garvey outlined plans that House of Fraser could be replaced with offices.

The shop had been earmarked for closure in 2018 when HoF fell into administration. But high street mogul and Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley bought the company in a £90 million deal, vowing to keep 80 per cent of shops open.

When pressed on the plans at the time, House of Fraser did not respond, but a spokesman for Eden said it was “forward planning” that should not be considered a done deal.

The Bucks Free Press has contacted House of Fraser for the latest update on the future of the store.