Harvey Nichols halts online operations following Frasers takeover, Irish business in liquidation

The website of British department store Harvey Nichols has shuttered following its acquisition by Frasers Group. The luxury retailer has warned customers that its online business will remain unavailable while it completes a period of transition under new ownership.

A notice on the website confirms that physical stores remain open, while restaurants across its UK locations and Dublin continue to accept reservations. The retailer has not provided a date for when online shopping will resume.

The website also outlines separate arrangements for customers with outstanding refunds. Orders and gift cards purchased before 13 August, when Frasers completed its acquisition, remain under the previous ownership structure and cannot be refunded directly by Harvey Nichols. Customers are instead being directed to FTI Consulting. Orders placed from 13 August onwards will be subject to Harvey Nichols’ standard returns and refund policy.

Frasers acquired Harvey Nichols from administrators FTI Consulting last week, taking control of its online business, inventory, six UK stores and international franchise agreements, with more than 1,000 jobs retained.

The website closure represents the first significant customer-facing change since the takeover. Frasers CEO Michael Murray previously warned that the retailer would require “meaningful change”, including a review of its stores, cost base, operating model and organisational structure.

Its Dublin store, located in Dundrum Town Centre, was not included in the acquisition, with Frasers only snapping up the site's stock and fixtures. The location, which employs 33 people, has struggled to return to profit following the pandemic, and has now entered liquidation, with representatives of Grant Thornton appointed as provisional joint liquidators.

Evidence presented to the High Court and seen by the Mirror showed the business had net liabilities of 24.1 million pounds at the end of the 2026 financial year, up from 16.6 million pounds in 2021. A High Court hearing on September 7 is expected to determine the store’s future.