One of Bluewater’s three original anchor stores is set to close before Christmas with a high street giant reportedly poised to take over the site.

House of Fraser, which has sat in one of the three corners of the Greenhithe shopping centre since it opened 25 years ago, is understood to be shutting for good on November 27.

The department store, which occupies a large unit on both floors of the out-of-town mall, is offering 20% discounts to empty the shop before then.

The corner spot is a prime location offering footfall from the car park to the centre and it’s strongly rumoured clothing giant Next, just a few doors along, is set to take over the site.

However, neither Next or House of Fraser has responded to a request for comment from KentOnline.

High street stalwart Next is well placed to expand having this week announced it has upped its annual profit outlook for the second time in less than two months.

The firm upped its full-year profit guidance by £15 million to £995 million, which would mark an 8.4% rise on 2023-24.

It attributed this to a surge in sales overseas and a rebound in UK trading over recent weeks combining online with brick and mortar shops.

Regardless of who next takes over, Kent business leaders hope the potential gaping hole in the huge shopping centre will be filled quickly.

Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce warned the departure of House of Fraser could have a negative impact on other traders who benefit from the footfall produced by such a large store.

Chief Executive Tudor Price said: “Customers may stop returning once they realise the anchor store is no longer there.”

He also said it would have a big impact on the look and feel of the shopping centre.

Mr Price added: “It does not look good. And part of shopping in a large centre is that it is a very experiential thing. You want everywhere to look good.

“If you have an empty store, whether it is small or large, it has a perspective impact on the experience.”

Yesterday (September 18) it was announced TGI Friday had gone into administration with its long-running Bluewater branch at risk of closure.

John Lewis was the first major tenant to sign up to Bluewater when plans for the large shopping centre were first announced in the 1990s, with fellow anchor tenants House of Fraser and Marks and Spencer following suit shortly after.

READ MORE: Is leisure the future of retail? How Bluewater has changed over two decades

Bluewater did not directly respond to questions put to it over the loss of House of Fraser.

However a spokesman for the mall said: “Creating a vibrant, varied retail destination is our priority and we’re always looking for ways to provide our guests with new experiences.

“To keep the mix of restaurants and shops on offer at Bluewater fresh and relevant to our guests, we’re constantly talking to brands about their spaces and we’re looking forward to sharing more details about our plans soon.”