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HARVEY Nichols has relaunched its website weeks after the historic department store was rescued from administration.

The 195-year-old luxury retailer’s online store is now back up and running under new owner Frasers Group.

It comes after the website was taken offline last month while Mike Ashley‘s Frasers Group completed its takeover of the struggling chain.

A holding page had told shoppers the site was “currently unavailable online” during the transition, though Harvey Nichols’ physical stores stayed open throughout.

The site’s footer now shows Frasers Group Trading Limited as the new operator of the Harvey Nichols business.

Shoppers browsing the revamped site will find fresh new-season stock from luxury names including Moncler, Canada Goose and Ganni.

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The website is also pushing Frasers Plus, the retail group’s loyalty and payments scheme, letting customers spread the cost of purchases in interest-free instalments.

The relaunch follows Frasers’ rescue deal, struck through a pre-pack administration process on August 13.

The takeover saved Harvey Nichols’ six UK stores, including its newly refurbished Knightsbridge flagship, along with branches in Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds and Edinburgh.

More than 1,000 staff transferred across as part of the rescue, alongside existing stock and international franchise agreements.

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However, the legal entity behind the old online business, since renamed H ONLINE 2026 Limited, remains in administration separately, meaning historic liabilities stay with the former company rather than the relaunched site.

Frasers Group had previously warned customers that any online orders placed before August 13 were not its responsibility, telling shoppers to contact administrators FTI Consulting instead for refunds.

The same rule applied to purchases made in-store before the takeover, with customers pointed towards their card provider or the administration estate depending on their circumstances.

Frasers Group boss Michael Murray previously described Harvey Nichols as “an iconic British institution with significant potential” but admitted “meaningful change is needed.”

He added: “The turnaround will require tough choices, and we are prepared to make those decisions, even if that means a smaller business in the near term, to create a stronger and more sustainable Harvey Nichols for the long term.”

Harvey Nichols chief executive Julia Goddard hailed the takeover as “an important milestone” for the retailer and its staff.

She said: “Today marks an important milestone for Harvey Nichols and provides a strong platform for the next phase of the business’s evolution under the ownership of Frasers Group.”

Ms Goddard also praised her workforce, saying: “I am incredibly proud of what our teams have achieved and grateful for the commitment and resilience they have shown throughout this period of uncertainty.”

The rescue deal comes after Harvey Nichols racked up five straight years of losses, with revenue falling five per cent to £204.8million in the year to March 2024.

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Bosses had blamed inflation, the cost of living crisis and currency swings for the chain’s struggles, with Mr Ashley previously branding the situation a “death spiral.”

Frasers Group has confirmed all the stores it acquired will keep trading “until further notice” as it begins reshaping the historic brand for the future.


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