A high-profile department store in Bath city centre has closed its doors for the last time.
Jolly’s, on Milsom Street, had been on the site since 1823, but shut for good on Saturday, February 22.
The shop opened as a seasonal store in the 1820s, and by 1830 became a permanent shop, and became entrenched as one of the city’s leading retailers.
In 1970, the business was purchased by E J Dingles and Co, who in turn were purchased by House of Fraser – and now by Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group.
Despite undergoing a major refurbishment in 2014, the long-standing flagship store is set to depart and leave the site vacant.
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In a statement announcing the impending closure in December, Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES) said: “House of Fraser went into administration in August 2018 and since then the council has been working hard to ensure a secure future for this flagship store at the heart of the Milsom Quarter.
“A significant element of the plan is to make Jolly's once again the anchor store for Milsom Street, and a programme of works, which are already underway, will see significant investment in the building over the coming months.”
General manager of the site, Jess Merritt-Johns told the BBC that staff were “devastated” about the closure.
She said: "Some people have been here for 40 years, for them it's the hardest of all as it's the only job they have ever known."
The BBC added that just under 100 staff will be made redundant when the shop closes.
Ms Merritt-Johns recently organised a reverse recruitment day, where local businesses were invited into the shop to meet staff looking for work.
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In their statement published in December, the council added that there were plans in the works to replace the flagship store.
The statement reads: “The council was unaware of the intention of the current occupier to put up the notices which have appeared in the windows of the store.
“While plans are at an advanced stage with a third-party occupier, the council is not in a position to make a formal statement at this time in relation to its proposals for the future of one of Bath’s most important department stores.
“However, the intention is that a joint statement with this third party will be made at the appropriate time.”
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