View source for Jenners

{{Short description|Former department store in Edinburgh, Scotland}}
{{About-distinguish-text|British department store|the [[Kardashian-Jenner family]]}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Jenners
| logo = Jenners logo.png
| image = Jenners department store, Princes Street, Edinburgh.JPG
| industry = [[Retail]]
| defunct = 2020
| num_locations = 2 (2020)
| area_served = [[Scotland]]
| parent = [[Frasers Group]]
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{coord|55|57|10|N|3|11|39|W|display=title}}
'''Jenners''' was a [[department store]] in [[Edinburgh]], Scotland, situated on [[Princes Street]]. It was Scotland's oldest independent department store until the retail business was acquired by [[House of Fraser]] in 2005.<ref name="Bowers">{{Citation | last=Bowers | first=Simon | title=House of Fraser buys Scotland's oldest department store for £46m | newspaper=The Guardian | location=London | date=22 March 2005 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2005/mar/22/3?INTCMP=SRCH}}</ref> It closed in December 2020 and was vacated by House of Fraser in May 2021. The building is currently undergoing restoration to be repurposed as a hotel.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-01-25|title=Jenners: No appetite for old retail?|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-55805481|access-date=2021-04-16}}</ref><ref name="bbc-20240213" />

== History ==
[[File:Jenners department store.jpg|alt=Jenners department store, Princes Street, Edinburgh, viewed from the gardens opposite (March 2021).|thumb|Jenners department store, Princes Street, Edinburgh, viewed from the gardens opposite (March 2021).]]
[[File:Jenners on fire 23jan2023.jpg|alt=Jenners former department store on fire 23 January 2023|thumb|upright|Jenners former department store on fire 23 January 2023]]
Jenners was founded as "Kennington & Jenner" in 1838 by Charles Jenner [[FRSE]] (1810–1893), a linen draper,<ref>{{cite book|title=Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002|date=July 2006|publisher=The Royal Society of Edinburgh|isbn=0-902-198-84-X|url=https://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf|access-date=13 January 2017|archive-date=24 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124115814/http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> and Charles Kennington. The store has never left its site on Princes Street, but its original building was destroyed by fire in 1892. In 1893 the Scottish architect [[William Hamilton Beattie]] was appointed to design a replacement, which subsequently opened in 1895.<ref name="edinburgharchitecture">{{Cite web|url=https://www.edinburgharchitecture.co.uk/jenners-edinburgh|title=Jenners Edinburgh Department Store|website=www.edinburgharchitecture.co.uk|date=5 September 2021 }}</ref> It is now a category A [[listed building]].<ref name="hse">{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB29505|desc=47-52 (inclusive nos) Princes Street and South St David Street, Jenners Department Store, including Gothic Streetlight|cat=A|access-date=19 March 2019}}</ref>

Jenners was run for many years by the Douglas Miller family, descendants of James Kennedy, who took charge of the store after Charles Jenner retired in 1881.<ref name="Bowers"/> Known as the "[[Harrods]] of the North",<ref>[http://business.scotsman.com/retail/Harrods-of-the-North-enters.2611996.jp Harrods of the North enters new era with House of Fraser deal], ''The Scotsman'', 20 March 2005</ref> it has held a [[Royal Warrant of Appointment (United Kingdom)|Royal Warrant]] since 1911, and was visited by [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]] on the occasion of its 150th anniversary in 1988. 

=== Sale to House of Fraser ===
On 16 March 2005 it was announced that the Douglas Miller family were in advanced negotiations to sell the business to the [[House of Fraser]], at an estimated price of £100&ndash;200 million,{{Citation needed|date=December 2010}} but a month later it was sold for £46.1 million.<ref name="Bowers"/> While other acquisitions by House of Fraser had been renamed, Jenners kept its identity.<ref>{{Citation | last=Morley | first=Chris | title=Fears for future of Beatties store | newspaper=Birmingham Mail | location=Birmingham | date=6 January 2006 | url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2006/01/06/fears-for-future-of-beatties-store-97319-16553754 | access-date=8 February 2010 | archive-date=10 July 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710181428/http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2006/01/06/fears-for-future-of-beatties-store-97319-16553754/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>
The store made national news in 2007 when it publicly announced that it would stop selling [[paté de foie gras]], following a boycott by the [[Angus Douglas-Hamilton, 15th Duke of Hamilton|Duke and Duchess of Hamilton]].<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6734091.stm Jenners 'ethical' foie gras ban] BBC News Friday, 8 June 2007</ref> In 2008, House of Fraser invested £3 million in improvements to the store.<ref>{{Citation | last=Ferguson | first=Brian | title=Landmark store to have £4.5m revamp | newspaper=The Scotsman | location=Edinburgh | date=25 July 2008 | url=http://business.scotsman.com/jenners/Landmark-store-to-have-45m.4324480.jp}}</ref> As a result of this, in 2016 the basement toy department was rebranded under the [[Hamleys]] name, before being closed in 2019.

The lease of the building remained with the Jenners holding company JPSE Ltd, owned by the Douglas Miller family. In August 2005 it was sold to Moorcroft Capital Management, owned by Jenners' former chief executive [[Robbie Douglas Miller]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Jenners chief pockets £45m from sale|newspaper=The Scotsman|location=Edinburgh|date=24 February 2006| url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/jenners_chief_pockets_163_45m_from_sale_1_981985}}</ref> In 2017 the building was bought by Danish billionaire fashion retailer and landowner in Scotland [[Anders Holch Povlsen]], reportedly for £53 million.<ref name=Metro>{{cite news|title=Jenners set to leave historic Edinburgh site|newspaper=[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]|location=London|date=2019-11-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Jenners could quit Princes Street after 181 years |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-50558746 |website=BBC News |access-date=18 December 2020 |date=26 November 2019}}</ref>

In late 2019 it was reported that the business was considering reducing its size or moving from Princes Street.<ref name=Metro/>

=== Department store closure ===
In January 2021, it was announced that Jenners was closing and 200 jobs would be lost.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-01-25|title=Jenners department store to close after 183 years trading in Edinburgh|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-55796806|access-date=2021-01-25}}</ref>  The Jenners signage was removed from the Princes Street building on 14 April 2021, reportedly to the surprise of the owners of the building.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-04-15|title=Jenners building owner launches probe after signs removed|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-56764938|access-date=2021-04-16}}</ref>  [[City of Edinburgh Council|Edinburgh City Council]] issued a [[Listed building|Listed Building]] enforcement notice on 21 April 2021 to [[Frasers Group|Sports Direct]] Retail, the [[Mike Ashley (businessman)|Mike Ashley]] company that owns the [[Frasers Group]], to reinstate the Jenners letters on the eastern and southern sides of the department store, as these had been removed without listed building consent.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-04-22|title=Sports Direct's Mike Ashley told to reinstate Jenners signs in Edinburgh|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-56830284|access-date=2021-04-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=City of Edinburgh Council|date=22 April 2021|title=Planning – Enforcement Details: 21/00233/ELBB {{!}} Unauthorised Removal Of Lettering Depicting Jenners {{!}} 47 - 52 Princes Street Edinburgh EH2 2DF|url=https://citydev-portal.edinburgh.gov.uk/idoxpa-web/enforcementDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=QRNMVIEW0ZA00|website=Edinburgh council Planning and Building}}</ref> In May 2021, it was announced that the restoration of the building will take four years, and that the store was planned to reopen without the House of Fraser livery once redevelopment had completed.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-05-20|title=Jenners building restoration in Edinburgh to take four years|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-57175660|access-date=2021-08-31}}</ref>

===Proposed hotel conversion ===
In June 2022, AAA United, the company owned by Anders Holch Povlsen, was granted planning permission to convert the building to a 96-room hotel. Under the plans, the three-storey central atrium would be retained, as would the Jenners signage. The hotel rooms would occupy the upper floors, with new retail use, restaurants and cafés at the lower levels, and a new roof-top bar.<ref>{{cite web |title=Green light for hotel conversion of former Jenners building |url=https://www.scottishconstructionnow.com/articles/green-light-for-hotel-conversion-of-former-jenners-building |website=Scottish Construction Now |access-date=19 June 2022 |language=en |date=16 June 2022}}</ref>

===2023 fire===
On 23 January 2023, a fire broke out at the rear of the empty building. Five firefighters were injured, one of whom, 38-year old Barry Martin, was critically injured and died four days later. Eyewitnesses described smoke pouring out of the basement area of the department store.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-01-23 |title=Firefighter critically injured in Jenners blaze in Edinburgh |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-64379840 |access-date=2023-01-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=23 January 2023 |title=Fire breaks out in former Jenners building in Edinburgh |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-64373619 |access-date=23 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64427228|title=Firefighter dies after Jenners blaze in Edinburgh|website=BBC News|date=27 January 2023|access-date=27 January 2023}}</ref>

==Architecture==
The present Jenners building in Edinburgh was designed in 1893 by [[William Hamilton Beattie]] in an ornate, early [[Renaissance Revival architecture|Renaissance Revival]] style, embellished with a variety of [[column]]s, ornamental [[cornice]]s and decorative [[balustrading]]. The building is situated on a slope, with six storeys and an attic level; on the south-east corner is a canted 7-storey tower. At Charles Jenner's insistence the building's facade was decorated with rows of female [[caryatids]] "to show symbolically that women are the support of the house". The new store featured many technical innovations such as electric lighting and hydraulic lifts,<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|cat=PLA |num=115649 |desc=Edinburgh, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52 Princes Street, Jenners | num2=NT27SE 1199 |access-date=25 June 2025}}</ref> 
In 1903, the store was extended northwards towards Rose Street by Beattie's partner, [[Andrew Robb Scott]], in a style matching Beattie's original design. A further extension was added to the west along Princes Street by [[Tarbolton & Ochterlony]] in 1955. The Jenners building is especially noted for its grand saloon hall, with [[Console (architecture)|consoled]] wooden galleries rising three storeys with an elaborate [[strapwork]] timber stair, and topped with a glass and [[queen post|queen-post]] timber roof.<ref name="hse" /><ref name="edinburgharchitecture" /> Each winter, a large [[Christmas tree]] erected in the grand hall became a popular annual visitor attraction.<ref name="bbc-20240213">{{cite web |title=Inside the parts of Edinburgh store Jenners you've never seen before |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-68153251 |website=BBC News |access-date=14 February 2024 |date=13 February 2024}}</ref>

In 1970s, the Jenners store was designated a [[category A listed building]] by the [[Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland]].<ref name="hse" />

<gallery mode="packed" caption="Architectural details">
File:Bas-relief of a classical female nude with a shield with the date of the establishment of Jenners. Door pediment over main entrance, bay three, Princes Street façade, Jenners, Edinburgh. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg|Classical female nude holding a shield with the date of the establishment of Jenners, door pediment, main entrance, Princes Street façade
File:Jenners entrance with locked gates.jpg|alt=locked gates and arched entrance|The main entrance in Princes Street
File:Rooftop detail, Jenners Department Store, Princes Street, Edinburgh.JPG|alt=sculpted Caryatids in the facade|[[Caryatid]]s on the store's rooftop
File:Caryatid (left), pediment over two left bays, Princes Street façade, Jenners, Edinburgh. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg|Caryatid (left), pediment over two left bays, Princes Street façade
File:Caryatid (centre left), pediment over two left bays, Princes Street façade, Jenners, Edinburgh. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg|Caryatid (centre left), pediment over two left bays, Princes Street façade
File:Caryatid (centre right), pediment over two left bays, Princes Street façade, Jenners, Edinburgh. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg|Caryatid (centre right), pediment over two left bays, Princes Street façade
File:Caryatid (right), pediment over two left bays, Princes Street façade, Jenners, Edinburgh. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg|Caryatid (right), pediment over two left bays, Princes Street façade
File:Magasin Jenners Édimbourg 6.jpg|alt=stone tower with ornate roof|Detail of the corner tower
File:Jenners 2 (5797898110).jpg|alt=large golden lettering on the exterior|The famous Jenners signage
File:Two pairs of caryatids flanking first floor window, bay five, Princes Street façade, Jenners, Edinburgh. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg|Two pairs of caryatids flanking first floor window, bay five, Princes Street façade
File:Left pair of caryatids, one, with harp, representing Ireland; first floor, bay five, Princes Street façade, Jenners, Edinburgh. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg|Left pair of caryatids, one, with harp, representing Ireland; first floor, bay five, Princes Street façade
File:Right pair of caryatids, one in armour and tunic with fleur de lys, representing France (Joan of Arc), first floor, bay five, Princes Street façade, Jenners, Edinburgh. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg|Right pair of caryatids, one in armour and tunic with fleur de lys, representing France (Joan of Arc), first floor, bay five, Princes Street façade
File:Pair of semi-nude female figures in niches flanking balustrade and window, floor 5, bay 5, Princes Street façade & Tower façade at corner of South St David Street, Jenners, Edinburgh. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg|Pair of semi-nude female figures in niches flanking balustrade and window, floor 5, bay 5, Princes Street façade & Tower façade at corner of South St David Street
File:Semi-nude female figure holding an urn over her shoulder, floor 5, bay 5, Princes Street façade, Jenners, Edinburgh. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg|Semi-nude female figure holding an urn over her shoulder, floor 5, bay 5, Princes Street façade
File:Semi-nude female figure holding roses over her shoulder, floor 5, Tower façade at corner of Princes Street and South St David Street, Jenners, Edinburgh. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg|Semi-nude female figure holding roses over her shoulder, floor 5, Tower façade at corner of Princes Street and South St David Street
File:Three caryatids flanking windows and supporting pediment over bay 4, South Saint David Street façade, Jenners, Edinburgh. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg|Three caryatids supporting pediment over Bay 4, South Saint David Street façade
File:Caryatid (left), pediment over Bay 4, South Saint David Street façade, Jenners, Edinburgh. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg|Caryatid (left), pediment over Bay 4, South Saint David Street façade
File:Caryatid (centre), pediment over Bay 4, South Saint David Street façade, Jenners, Edinburgh. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg|Caryatid (centre), pediment over Bay 4, South Saint David Street façade
File:Caryatid (right), pediment over Bay 4, South Saint David Street façade, Jenners, Edinburgh. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg|Caryatid (right), pediment over Bay 4, South Saint David Street façade
File:The Jenners building, Edinburgh (42069013002).jpg|alt=ornate stone facade from street level|South Saint David Street facade
File:Edinburgh House of Fraser (49254182681).jpg|alt=three-storey hall with wooden balconies|The Jenners grand hall
File:Jenners department store, Edinburgh, Christmas tree in the Great Hall.jpg|alt=decorated 100-foot Christmas tree inside the gran hall|The Christmas tree in the grand hall
File:Royal Warrant - Jenners in Edinburgh - 2004-10-22.jpg|alt=royal coat of arms above the main door|The Royal Warrant
</gallery>

==Stores==
Jenners had two shops in 2020:
*[[Princes Street]], [[Edinburgh]]
*[[Loch Lomond]] Shores

The Jenners store in the Loch Lomond Shores outlet in [[Balloch, West Dunbartonshire|Balloch]] remains in operation<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/19040887.jenners-department-store-will-back-not-know/|title=Jenners department store will be back ... but not as we know it|website=The National|date=27 January 2021 }}</ref> but as a dual [[Frasers]] and [[Sports Direct]] store, branding from Jenners practically absent.

Jenners previously had stores at [[Edinburgh Airport]] and [[Glasgow International Airport]] that closed following a decision announced in April 2007. Jenners said that security measures introduced in UK airports following the [[2006 transatlantic aircraft plot]] had led to a significant downturn in trade at the shops.<ref>[http://www.uk-airport-news.info/glasgow-airport-news-220407.htm "Jenners closes Edinburgh and Glasgow airport shops"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070427111541/http://www.uk-airport-news.info/glasgow-airport-news-220407.htm |date=27 April 2007 }}, UK Airport News, 22 April 2007</ref>

==See also==
* [[Queen Victoria Building]]
* [[Harrods]]
* [[Forsyth's]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline}}

{{UK Department stores}}{{Commercial buildings in Edinburgh}}

[[Category:Department stores of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Companies based in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:House of Fraser]]
[[Category:Service companies of Scotland]]
[[Category:Retail companies established in 1838]]
[[Category:British royal warrant holders]]
[[Category:Scottish brands]]
[[Category:Category A listed buildings in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:New Town, Edinburgh]]
[[Category:1838 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:Department store buildings in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Frasers Group]]
[[Category:2023 fires in Europe]]
[[Category:2020s fires in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Building and structure fires in Scotland]]