Chichester District Council 'confident' in future of House of Fraser site

The response follows yesterday's news (October 23) that House of Fraser in West Street will close in January.A spokesman for Chichester District Council said: "We really value Chichester city centre and understand that its continued success depends on having a good mix of shops and other facilities for a wide range of people. We have no control over the identity of the retailers that go into the units, this is down to the landlord of each building, however, we want to do what we can to support the vitality of the city centre.

Louise Goldsmith responds to House of Fraser closing date"We know that retail is undergoing huge changes at the moment, trends are changing all the time, but there are still many opportunities for those who can offer the consumer an excellent choice and experience.

"To assist our independent retailers with this change, we have been running a Retail Training programme for high street independent retailers and this is backed up with grants to improve shop fronts. This training has been very positively received by all those who have taken part. Additionally, we have supported small businesses with our Enabling Grants scheme to help fund growth projects.