Scotland's most famous department store is getting a £3million facelift – but what can be done to restore its elegance and make it a nicer place to shop? Alice Wyllie asked customers what improvements they'd like to see
IT MAY be an Edinburgh institution, but the department store once known as the "Harrods of the North" has lost much of its sheen in recent years. As charming, old-fashioned and confused as an elderly aunt, Jenners may have a loyal fanbase among Scot
tish shoppers, but let's face it, she needs a bit of a nip and a tuck. And at last she's getting one, in the form of a £3 million overhaul to be carried out over the next few months. So which spots require particular attention? We went out and asked the store's customers where they think the facelift ought to start.
EntranceFor such a stunning building, Jenners' main entrance is relatively small but it does have an understated grandeur about it. Or at least, you can tell that it once did. Today, through the semi-circular window above the door, I can see a big grubby air-conditioning unit. Jim, who is from Edinburgh, says: "They should think about changing the main entrance, which is currently via the cosmetics department – unreconstructed males like me always find that a bit off-putting!"
WindowsIf the eyes are the windows of the soul, a department store's windows allow us to glimpse the soul of that establishment and understand its ethos. What do we see in Jenners' windows? Some poorly-displayed make-up and a couple of lonely mannequins that seem to by crying out for Gok Wan to make them over. "The windows are so uninspiring. They don't entice me at all and make the store look stuffy and old-fashioned," says Claire Rose from Edinburgh, who is sitting outside the shop.
Period detailsJenners is a gorgeous, iconic building, rich in charming period details (although sadly they no longer use the Lampson Paragon pneumatic tube system to transport cash around the building via brass tubes). However, rather than being celebrated and treasured, these details appear lost behind surplus clutter. In the balconied atrium, two ornate Victorian clocks sit at either end – with clunky, white plastic spotlights affixed to them.
DecorJenners features myriad multi-hued floor coverings, presumably dating back decades. New carpets have been added periodically but now look mismatched, worn and rumpled. A make-do-and-mend approach has been taken to much of the decor. There's no continuity, with some areas making half-hearted attempts at modernity while others are stuck in the 1970s. "The big metal doors leading to the Designer Room are very ugly and dated," says Lee from Edinburgh. "There's a totally demented set of escalators at the back of the cosmetics area that only seems to service one rather weird department."
SignageThe mad rabbit warren of lifts, stairs and corridors adds to Jenners' eccentric charm, and it would be very difficult to make major changes to the way in which shoppers navigate the building. However, we're largely left to figure it out by ourselves, dotting between lifts and stairwells – and guessing where the lavatories might be. "I got two lifts, ended up outside and had to ask three shop assistants for directions to get to the loos," says shopper Pauline Prest from Dunfermline. "Access between different levels is awful, particularly with buggies – a complete trauma!" Bethan from Edinburgh adds: "There are lifts, but they're chaotic as some don't go to all the different levels."
Comfort factorAt noon yesterday, Edinburgh was hot – and Jenners was even hotter. Ugly air-conditioning units and free-standing fans were placed all around the store, yet the place was still sweltering, making shopping an uncomfortable experience. I asked one member of staff how they cope working in such (admittedly rare) heat. "We complain a lot," she says wearily. "I'm desperate to take my shoes off, but it's so hot, I know I wouldn't get them back on."
MannequinsIf there's one thing that can make any department store look naff, it's the mannequins. At Jenners, the current crop are of the over-made-up, hideously be-wigged variety. One child mannequin with a sinisterly askew hairpiece looks like she's escaped from the set of The Shining. Even the most sophisticated clothes would look like they were on their way to a Seventies dinner party on these creepy models.
DisplaysWhere to begin! There's just so much stuff here. Packed tightly together, items are displayed in such a way that makes the otherwise elegant spaces of the grand old store look cluttered.
"I'd reduce the clutter and make the most of the great, balconied space, but without entirely eliminating the 'nostalgia factor', which I think is a significant reason why people still come here," says Jim.
The full article contains 815 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
