Glasgow is the largest retail centre outside London’s West End, according to People Make Glasgow.
Retail (Heading 2)
Buchanan Street is one of the main shopping thoroughfares in Glasgow. It forms the central stretch of Glasgow's famous shopping district with a generally more upmarket range of shops than the neighbouring streets.
House of Fraser (HOF) (Heading 3)
HOF is a department store first established in Glasgow with 47 outlets across the United Kingdom. Current branches include:
- Aylesbury
- Birmingham
- Edinburgh
- Leeds
- Telford
In May 2018, amid a tough retail landscape, the group entered a company voluntary arrangement which included plans to close over half of HOF stores. On 10 August 2018 the business filed for administration, before being bought by Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct International later that day.
History of HOF (Heading 4)
HOF was established in 1849 as Arthur and Fraser. By 1891, it was known as Fraser & Sons. The company grew steadily during the early 20th century, and after the Second World War, a large number of acquisitions transformed the company into a national chain.
House of Fraser was founded in 1849
During the 1970s, the HOF Group acquired more companies including T. Baird & Sons Ltd of Scotland, Switzer & Co. Ltd of Dublin, Ireland, and E. Dingle & Co. Ltd, Chiesmans Ltd, Hide & Co and the Army & Navy Stores in southern England, as well as a number of independent stores, totalling over 50 stores during the decade. In 1973 the HOF Group was considering merging with the British pharmacy company Boots, and was even subject to a written answer in the House of Commons. The government decided to ban the proposed merger in 1974.
Princes Square (Heading 3)
Princes Square opened in its current format as a shopping and dining destination in 1988. Now owned by Redevco, the centre has undergone a £7.5m refurbishment.
History of Princes Square (Heading 4)
The original buildings consisted of a four-storey merchant square built in yellow sandstone and completed in 1841. The then owner, James Campbell, was knighted by Queen Victoria and later became Lord Provost of Glasgow. In celebration of the birth of the Prince of Wales, later to become Edward VII, he named his new building Princes Square.
One of the most intelligent pieces of urban renewal.
-Bill Bryson