List of department stores of the United Kingdom

This is a list of department stores of the United Kingdom. In the case of department store groups, the location of the flagship store is given. This list does not include large specialist stores, which sometimes resemble department stores. The list is broken into "currently trading" (A–Z); "defunct groups" and "defunct" (A–Z).

Currently trading

A–F

G–O

P–Z

Defunct department store groups

Defunct department stores

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• McDonalds (Glasgow) Formerly part of retail and manufacturing business, Stewart & McDonald, the retail business was separated as McDonalds in 1913. In 1922 they purchased the drapery business of E J Clark in Harrogate. The business was bought by House of Fraser in 1951. It was merged with Wylie & Lochhead and together renamed McDonalds, Wylie & Lochhead 1957; renamed Frasers 1975
• McDonalds, Wylie & Lochhead (Glasgow) – formed from the merger of McDonalds and Wylie & Lochhead by House of Fraser 1957; renamed Frasers 1975.
• McGill Brothers (Dundee)
• McIlroy Brothers (Hanley) – established 1883; later McIlroys. Bought by Lewis's 1935; renamed Lewis's
• Duncan McLaren (Edinburgh) Opened on the Royal Mile by Duncan McLaren in 1824, regarded as one of Britain's first department stores and in Edinburgh rivalled Jenners.
• Mackross (Cardiff)
• Macowards (Swansea) Became a founding member of the Macowards group in 1937.
• Maddox & Co (Shrewsbury) – established in the 1850s by R Maddox. Bought by Macowards; Bought by Owen Owen in 1976; renamed Owen Owen; closed c. 1990
• Maggs (Clifton)
• Makins & Bean (Bridlington) – established c. 1880s; succeeded by Norman Jones & Co.
• David Mann & Sons (Manns of Cranleigh) (Cranleigh) opened in 1887; Closed 2021.
• Marments (Cardiff) – established 1879; closed 1986
• T. C. Marsh & Co (Bristol)
• Marshall Roberts (Camden Town)
• Martins (Canterbury) bought by Chiesmans
• Maskreys (Whiteladies Road, Bristol) – closed 2012
• Masons & Son (Ipswich)
• Mastin Brothers (Hastings) - established 1872. Closed 1969.
• Matthew & Son (Cambridge)
• Frederick Matthews (Preston) – bought by Owen Owen; renamed Owen Owen
• Robert Maule & Son (Edinburgh) – established 1894. Bought by Binns 1934; renamed Binns. Acquired by House of Fraser 1953; renamed Frasers.
• Maw Till Kirke (Hull) – closed 1938; building occupied by municipal offices since 1942
• Mawer & Collingham (Lincoln) – bought by House of Fraser 1980; incorporated into the Binns group; renamed Binns c. 1980; renamed House of Fraser c.2005
• E Mayes & Son (Southampton) – bought by Owen Owen; renamed Owen Owen
• Medhursts (Bromley) – established 1879 by Fred Medhurst; bought by United Drapery Stores 1969; renamed Allders 1979
• Charles Meeking & Co (Holborn, London) became Albert Brown & Sons in 1884.[3][4]
• Midland Drapery Company (Derby) – established 1882; purchased by Macowards in 1951; closed 1969
• C. N. Mitcham (Cambridge)
• Mogridges Torquay Closed early 1970s.
• Monteith, Hamilton & Monteith (Leeds) – established 1885, trading as 'Grand Pygmalion'; closed 1927
• J D Morant (Chichester; previously Southsea) – Established 1910; Southsea premises destroyed by bombing 1941; relocated to Chichester 1941. Bought by Army & Navy Stores 1955; renamed Army & Navy. Acquired by House of Fraser 1976; renamed House of Fraser 2007.
• David Morgan (Cardiff) – established 1879; closed 29 January 2005
• John Morgan & Son (Marlow) – bought by William McIlroy
• J T Morgan (Swansea)
• Morgan Squire (Leicester) – bought by J J Allen 1962; acquired by House of Fraser 1969; renamed Rackhams c. 1976; closed 1980s
• Morgans (Ramsgate)
• Morgans (West Penwith) – bought by James Colmer 1963; closed 1970s
  • Morgans (Bristol) – opened in the 1930s; bought by James Colmer in 1963
• Morris (Newport, Isle of Wight) – Formerly Edward Morris. Bought by Chiesmans 1958.
• Mortons (Faringdon)
• Moulton (Ilford) purchases by R H O Hills 1959; 1962 purchased by Lewis' for £730,000; renamed Selfridges; closed.
• J.W.Muntus (Rotherham)
• Murfitts (Hounslow)
• Murrays (High Wycombe) – Closed 1985.
• Henry A Murton (Newcastle upon Tyne)
• Musgroves (Kendal) Opened in 1860. Became part of J R Taylor, before being purchased by Beales.

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• Rackham & Co (Birmingham) – Established 1881, became part of Harrods 1955, later House of Fraser 1959.
• A L Ramsay (Elgin) – Established 1845, later A L Ramsay & Son. Bought by Benzie & Miller; renamed Benzie & Miller. Acquired by House of Fraser; renamed Arnotts; closed.
• Ranbys (Derby) Opened in 1871 by Mary & Harry Ranby at 24 Victoria Street. By 1880 they had stores in Victoria and Queen Street. The Ranbys nieces, the Ward sisters took over the business in 1917, but sold it to a Welsh company about 1939. In 1962 the store was rebuilt. It was bought by Debenhams and renamed Debenhams in 1973. Debenhams closed the store and relocated in 2007.
• Randalls (Uxbridge) – Established 1891; closed 31 January 2015.
• Rankin & Co. (Banff) – Bought by Benzie & Miller; renamed Benzie & Miller. Acquired by House of Fraser 1958; renamed Arnotts 1970s; closed 1980s.
• H L Reid (Epsom) – bought by Great Northern & Southern Stores and Wright Brothers in 1938. Company became part of Hide & Co after the reverse takeover of Great Northern & Southern Stores and Wrights. The registered office of H L Reid was changed to the address of Seccombes department store in Cardiff, though the business only ever traded at Epsom. House of Fraser bought Hide & Co in 1975. H L Reid was renamed Chiesmans and closed in 1984.
• Reid & Pearson (Aberdeen) - Opened 1905. Purchased by Scottish Drapery in 1949. In 1952 became part of House of Fraser. Closed 1955.
• Reynolds (Newport, Wales) purchased by James Howell & Co; purchased by Macowards in 1962; bought by Owen Owen; renamed Owen Owen
  • Reynolds (Cardiff) – Opened as a branch of Reynolds of Newport. Bought by James Howell & Co.
• Ricemans (Canterbury; previously Deal, Kent) – Relocated from Deal to purpose-built Canterbury store 1960s. Bought by Fenwick 1986; renamed Fenwick on relocation to new building 2003.
• Richards of Abergavenny (Abergavenny) Established in 1909, the business was bought by the Harrison family in 1996. The store closed in 2012.
• Rightons (Evesham) – bought by Hide & Co.; acquired by House of Fraser; closed 1975
• Robbs (Birkenhead) – established 1872; closed 1982
• J Robb & Co (Belfast) - Opened in 1861. Purchased by Great Universal Stores in 1951. Closed in 1973.
• Evan Roberts (Cardiff) – Opened 1890. Closed 1983. Building demolished 1985.
• J R Roberts Stores (Stratford)
  • J R Roberts Stores (Southend-on-Sea) – opened as a branch of J R Roberts of Stratford
• T R Roberts (Islington) Started in 1862, the business started as a drapers by John and Thomas Reynold Roberts, with the partnership ending in 1870. A company was created to buy the shares of the business in 1895, with Thomas Roberts retiring in 1896. The store became a full department store after purchasing rival draper, Matthew Henry Rackstraw. The store became part of Hide & Co in 1946.
• W J Roberts & Sons (Truro) – formerly Bon Marché
• Roberts Brothers (Sheffield) – In September 1896 two enterprising young brothers Charles and Arnold Roberts opened Rockingham House in The Moor. The store grew but was destroyed during World War II, with temporary stores opened in Eccleshall and London Road. The new building partially opened in 1955, fully opening in 1960. The store merged with neighbouring furniture store, Eyres, with the business closing during the 70s.
• Robinsons (Woking) – established 1934; closed 1997
• Robinson Brothers (Carlisle) – established 1889; bought by Binns 1933; renamed Binns; acquired by House of Fraser 1953; renamed House of Fraser c. 2000
  • Robinson Brothers (Dumfries) – opened as a branch of Robinson Brothers of Carlisle; acquired by Binns 1933; renamed Binns; subsequently acquired by House of Fraser 1953; closed c. 1994
• J F Rockhey (Torquay) – bought by D H Evans. Acquired by Harrods; subsequently acquired by House of Fraser 1959; incorporated into the Dingles group c. 1972; renamed Dingles c. 1972; closed 1980s
  • J F Rockhey (Newton Abbot) – opened as a branch of J F Rockhey of Torquay; acquired by D H Evans; subsequently acquired by Harrods; subsequently acquired by House of Fraser 1959
• P. D. Rogers (Penge) merged with Bryce Grant
• E P Rose (Bedford) Opened in 1838 when Edward Paine Rose's father purchased an existing drapers at 51 High Street. The business moved across the road to 50 High Street before expanding to take in no. 46 to 52. The business stayed in the Rose family until the 1960s when it was bought by Debenhams, being renamed Debenhams in the 1970s.
• Matthew Rose & Sons (Hackney) – established 1868; closed 1936; premises sold to Marks & Spencer
• Roslings (Brighton) – Opened at no. 31 London Road in 1905 before extending in 1932. Store closed in 1960 being purchased by Woolworths who opened their new store in 1965.
• Rossiter & Son (Paignton) First Rossiter drapery store was opened by Srah and Jane Rossiter at Winner Street in 1858. By 1888 the store had moved to Palace Avenue. In 1934 the business became a limited company, and reached its 150th anniversary in 2008, but closed in January 2009.
• Jeremiah Rotherham & Co (Shoreditch) – established 1860; building destroyed by bombing 1941; closed 1941
• Rowans (Glasgow) opened 1846 in Buchanan Street specialising in men's clothing and sports equipment. Purchased by Austin Reed in 1974.
• William Rowe (Gosport) – bought by William McIlroy
• W. Rowntree & Sons (Scarborough) – established 1881
• F H Rowse (West Ealing) - purchased John Sanders in Ealing. Closed F H Rowse in 1980s.
• Rudkin Turner (Leicester) – Succeeded Grices.
• Rushworths (Huddersfield)
• Russell & Dorrell (Worcester) – established 1834; department store closed 2003; furniture store closed 2011

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References