Beatties

Beatties
Subsidiary of House of Fraser
Industry Retail
Founded Wolverhampton (1877)
Headquarters Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England
Products Clothing, cosmetics, housewares
Parent

House Of Fraser

genre = Department store
Website Beatties (archived version)
House of Fraser

Beatties was a small British department store group located primarily in the Midlands of England. In 2005, when it had 12 stores, the group was acquired by House of Fraser. On 14 January 2006, the Birmingham store closed, because a similar House of Fraser store, Rackhams, was not far away. In August 2007, the Telford store was rebranded, along with the Solihull and Sutton Coldfield stores.[1] The group is gradually rebranding all its branches under the House of Fraser name. In January 2010 the Dudley branch was closed.

History

The first Beatties store in Wolverhampton.

Beatties was founded in 1877 and had grown from a small family drapery business in Wolverhampton to a department store with an excellent reputation for Customer Service. The Company Policy (known as the Four Corners of Responsibility) stated that the responsibility to the customer was

"To provide the customer with a good range of well chosen, good value merchandise. To offer this to the public in attractive surroundings, backed by pleasant and effective service, and in an atmosphere of complete integrity and responsibility. To demonstrate at all times a genuine desire to please".

On joining Beatties, each member of staff (known as a "Member") was presented with a "Members' Guide" to provide members with information about the company and its policies, the condition of service offered, the facilities available and the rules to be followed.

Staff Structure

Members' Guide books issued to staff on joining Beatties.

General Manager (GM), Assistant General Manager (AGM), Personnel Manager (PM), Department Sales Manager (DSM), Assistant Sales Manager (ASM), Loss Prevention Officer (Plain Clothes Security), Sales Assistants, Deck Service Personnel (Warehouse and Delivery), Catering Personnel (for Staff and Customer Restaurant)

Managers at Department level and above were known as Grade 1 members. Managers at Assistant Manager level were known as Grade 2 members.

As well as Beatties own staff the store also employed concession managers and staff. The majority of these were in Perfumery and Ladies fashions but there were also a number of Jewellery concessions.

Department store locations

The Beatties department store in Telford prior to August 2007 rebranding to House of Fraser.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 New store loses Beatties name : Express & Star:
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