Losing Iconic Name Is A Massive Blow To Iconic City Street

Popular Jenner's toy department in1895.Below, the famous Christmas tree

- Anna Burnside

Princess Street could be about to lose one of its most famous names. Jenners, also known as “the Harrods of the north”, has been a byword for everything grand and luxurious since it opened in 1938.

Its imminent closure is not just a disaster for 200 members of staff who will lose their jobs but a kick in the teeth for a street struggling to stay relevant. The closure of BHS, Frasers becoming a Johnnie Walker visitor center and now the news that Debenhams and Topshop will not reopen after lockdown is grim enough for the capital’s main shopping thoroughfare.

But Jenners stood apart from the other chains. The magnificent building, built after the original was destroyed by a fire in 1892, was the finest in an already smart street. It was a proudly independent business, family-run until 2005. It won a royal warrant in 1911 and the Queen popped in to mark its 150th anniversary in 1988.