North East Lincolnshire Council has secured two key grants to look at improving the frontage of the former House of Fraser building in Grimsby, including possibilities to restore it to its Edwardian Heritage, and to develop a programme of heritage activities focused around the history of the building.
The “Window to 1913: Restoring 9-29 Victoria Street, Grimsby” project, has been awarded a project development grant of £62,043 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and a £50,000 development grant from Historic England. This will fund a conservation architect and other heritage specialists to work with the Council to prepare key documentation (designs, cost schedule etc) that will form the basis for future funding bids to allow the improvement works, and programme of engagement activities, to be carried out in 2026 and 2027.
The Council bought the former House of Fraser buildings at 9-29 Victoria Street in December 2023, with a view to seeing them fully repaired, and brought back into use as part of wider town centre regeneration.
The long-term goal will be to consider future occupation by tenants, carry out conservation repairs to the building to make sure it is both watertight, and resilient to the impact of climate change, and look at the possibilities around replacing the current 1970s shopfront with one inspired by the Edwardian Guy & Smith shopfront of 1913 (*see history notes). Repairs will include items like roof, rainwater goods, structural repairs where necessary, and repairs to the brick courtyard to the rear of the building.
As part of the project, there will be a range of other activities relating to the heritage of the building, including an exhibition, and heritage skills activities to encourage community understanding of the space.
Cllr Philip Jackson, Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “When we bought these buildings, we were looking to the future of the town as a whole. These buildings form a major part of Victoria Street and we always wanted to make sure that these were fully repaired and brought back into use.
“As a Heritage Place, heritage-led regeneration is at the forefront of Council policy for Grimsby Town Centre, and it has always been the Council’s intention to secure support for the full conservation and repair of the building, and this is what we’re doing – to make it something we should be proud of.”
Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “North East Lincolnshire Council have already done some fantastic work in highlighting some of the wonderful architectural heritage in Cleethorpes and we are delighted that we can support them to develop this project for the former of House of Fraser building in Grimsby.
“Working with the Council has allowed us to understand their long-term heritage ambitions for the area, and we know that when our investment is used to realise long-term visions it can have long-lasting benefits for local communities, visitors, and the economy. The area remains a priority for the Heritage Fund through our Heritage Places initiative, which will leave a legacy for all to enjoy.”
David Walsh, Principal Adviser – Partnerships for Historic England, said:
“We are delighted to support the council to help revitalise Victoria Street. The former House of Fraser buildings can tell a fascinating story about Grimsby and its people. The aim is to reinstate some wonderful shopfronts which, together with the new leisure and market development next door, will help give Grimsby the high quality street scene it deserves.”
History of the building
The following information has been drawn from the heritage statement for the properties produced by Donald Insall Associates.
Grimsby’s commercial core developed around a medieval street pattern, with Victoria Street (formerly Baxtergate and North St Mary’s Gate) forming the spine of the town. Victoria Street linked the Old Market Place with the former industrial and commercial areas around the Riverhead.
Who had stores in the buildings and what were they?
The site reflects over a century of department store culture and Grimsby’s commercial evolution.
In the early-mid 1800s Mr Cyprian Snow established a drapery shop in North St Mary’s Gate, now no.19 Victoria Street, in Grimsby. In 1850, he sold the business to Joseph Guy, who expanded and improved the shop at Victoria Street in 1858, describing the store as a silk mercers and general drapers.
Joseph Guy employed a young shop assistant by the name of Joseph Smith, who later married Guy’s daughter. Guy went into partnership with his now son-in-law, Joseph Smith, with the business known as Guy & Smith by 1871 (building nos.19-21). Following Joseph Guy’s death, the store continued to prosper under Joseph Smith’s management.
According to the Post Office Directory of 1880, the occupants of the buildings (residential and business) that became House of Fraser were:
9-13: George Smith & Sons, drapers & silk merchants.
15: John Anson, grocer & provision dealer.
17: William Whitlamsmith & Son, ironmongers & hardware merchants – the shop was known as “The Dial”. Some of the shop’s bestselling lines were paraffin lamps, hip baths and mangles!
19: Guy & Smith, drapers & silk merchants.
21: Mrs Mahala Hodgkinson, coffee house. Listed in the 1881 Census as “Hotel Keeper”.
23: Thomas Dutton, tobacconist.
25: Mrs Diana Lister. Listed in the 1881 Census as “Retired China Dealer’s Wife”.
27: William Lister, glass and china dealer.
28: Cook & Sons, auctioneers, valuers and appraisers.
By 1888, there was a tramway running down Victoria Street, with a stop straight outside the store bringing customers straight to the doorway.
Roll forward 16 years from the Post Office directory, and along with Guy & Smith drapers, we see Whitlamsmith & Son still at no.17), David Smith & Co at nos. 13 & 15 (who were house furnishers, gentleman’s tailors, funeral undertakers and makers of bags and trunks), and Smith & Sons at nos.9 & 11 to the west. To the east were Listers, a glass and china dealer, and Holder Bros, (piano and organ store) at no. 23 and 25 respectively.
In 1911, Guy & Smith began a series of expansions which would transform the business into a huge department store across several properties.
A 1913 catalogue describes how the shop was selling a vast array of products, including fabric, hats, household goods, underwear and dresses. Departments included costume and dress goods, millinery, silks, children’s outfitters and furnishings. In this period, the business was employing as many as 70 skilled dressmakers.
In 1934, Guy & Smith expanded their store westwards, into no.17, follow purchase of the Whitlamsmith & Son property in 1929. In 1936, the store again expanded westwards, into nos.13 & 15, which was formerly a store owned by David Smith & Co Ltd. Finally, in 1938, Guy & Smith expanded into the former Messrs Smith & Sons at nos. 9 & 11.
In 1969, the store finally ceased to be an independent company when it merged with the House of Fraser, and the name of Guy & Smith disappeared from Victoria Street. The following year, the business was renamed Binns and in 1971 the store was completely rebuilt, with 100,000 square foot of floorspace.
Binns remained a popular department store throughout the late 20th century. In 1985, House of Fraser invested £3.25 million in the Grimsby Binns store.
In the early 2000s, Binns was rebranded as House of Fraser and in 2020, the Grimsby House of Fraser closed down, following a national buy-out in 2018, leaving the premises vacant.
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