House of Fraser has confirmed that its flagship store in Chantry Place, Norwich, will be closing while refurbishments are carried out. 

The retail giant said that the closure will only take place for a "short period" but has not confirmed how long it is planning to keep the doors shut. 

This announcement raises further questions about the status of staff working at the store. 

The company declined to say whether any workers would be made redundant by the closure, which could happen as early as the middle of next month. 

Instead, a spokesman for Frasers Group, which owns House of Fraser, said: "We would like to take this opportunity to thank our loyal staff for their hard work and dedication.”  

The spokesman added: “We can confirm that we will be closing House of Fraser in Chantry Place, Norwich, for a short period. 

"However, we are pleased to announce that we will be refurbishing the space to open a new and elevated retail destination, that will bring the very best brands and experience to our consumers in Norwich, next year." 

House of Fraser is one of the key brands within Chantry Place and covers three floors within the shopping centre.  

It sells a wide range of womenswear, menswear, beauty products and accessories, and also contains a Game outlet. 

The closure of Chantry Place's biggest store, even for a brief period, could be a significant blow to the shopping centre.  

It comes at a time when retail is fighting to survive against the cost of living crisis, which has seen a fall in consumer confidence, and is still recovering from the pandemic.  

Chantry Place has declined to comment about the effect the closure will have on the shopping centre or what will fill the hole left by the department store’s closure.  

House of Fraser’s parent company, Frasers Group, also owns Sports Direct, which also has a store located in the Norwich shopping centre.  

Frasers Group has declined to comment about the future of this store.