Three weeks have passed since House of Fraser closed its doors in Birmingham city centre for good, ending a retail story that dates back to 1851. The building, originally known as Rackhams, has been a cornerstone of the city's shopping scene for over 170 years. Now, it sits empty, boarded up, and awaiting demolition as part of a major regeneration plan.
History of Rackhams
The story began in 1851 when William Riddell and Henry Wilkinson established a drapery firm at 78 Bull Street. The business grew into a wholesale operation on Temple Row before former apprentice and buyer John Rackham took over with partner William Matthews in 1881. Under Rackham's name, the store became a fixture of the North Western Arcade after trader Charles Richards moved it there in 1890, adding a dressmaking department.
Despite challenges—including a failed sale in 1927 and severe damage from World War II bombing in 1940—the store was rebuilt and continued to thrive. Harrods purchased the business in 1955, relocating it to a larger site on Corporation Street. By 1966, it had become part of the House of Fraser chain, the brand's second-largest department store, and underwent a multi-million-pound renovation in the 1980s.
Regeneration Plans
Birmingham City Council's Central Heart prospectus outlines plans to 'transform 17 hectares of underused retail and office space into a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood.' The centrepiece of this vision is Cherry Street, the road between Corporation Street and Pigeon Park, currently home to Greggs and McDonald's.
The former Rackhams building is owned by Legal and General, which is working with developer Sphere Group to redevelop the site, along with One and 43 Temple Row, 71 Corporation Street, and the entire North Western Arcade. The proposals include 600 new homes and 14,000 square metres of commercial floorspace. House of Fraser specifically would become a mixed-use development, with Cherry Street widened and lined with landscaped areas to create a green route from Cathedral Square to the HS2 station.
Timeline and Consultation
HS2's £87.7 billion to £102.7 billion project is expected to bring first services to Birmingham between May 2036 and October 2039. Before then, Sphere Group plans to reveal its proposals for public consultation. Managing director Thomas Taylor told BirminghamLive: 'We are preparing transformative mixed-use plans for the former Rackhams building and beyond in Birmingham city centre and will be unveiling our proposals for public consultation later this year. A number of options for the site are currently being explored.'
Sphere Group emphasised that no imminent changes are expected and that it is liaising with businesses still operating in buildings slated for demolition. 'Long-term, we're looking forward to regenerating this key city centre site,' Taylor added.
