Opening its doors on the 12th Feb, H beauty restored life to the historic Brown’s building which had lay empty since Debenhams collapsed in may 2021.

The historic opening- there are only 7 H Beauty Halls in the UK- attracted queues of beauty fans, and those eager to see the new look for the building which holds a special place in the memories of so many Cestrians. A bright pink bow and an impressive floral display added to the theatre of the opening, as the Lord Mayor Sherin Akhtar prepared to cut the ribbon with an oversized novelty pair of scissors.

Inside, shoppers were dazzled by elaborate and colourful displays from luxurious make up and beauty brands, a giant Harrods teddy bear and a DJ. A modernised lower industrial style ceiling replaced the formerly higher Debenhams configuration.

As well as beauty products, the store also offers a range of Harrods gifts and merchandise likely to be popular with visiting tourists. The high end Elan Cafe (cakes £7 cappuccino £4) at the entrance of the building, replaces the originally planned champagne bar, offers excellent service in a bright and quietly bustling atmosphere. “Adventure Awaits but first… Coffee” says the slogan on the wall , sure to feature in countless Instagram posts. The store also includes a masterclass studio for beauty events and demonstrations. Brow Spa – formerly Brow HQ in Bridge Street have relocated into the building as well, with their studio occupying a space at the far end of the beauty hall.

Flashing back to the dark days of 2021 On the closure of Browns of Chester – The Chester blog, it would have been hard to imagine such a prestigious tenant moving into the building. At various points in the last 13 years I have wandered into a new space and thought “is this really Chester?”- Storyhouse and the New Market are two examples. This time, I didn’t feel that- confident that the city is now in a much more positive space, despite the ongoing challenges of national retail. In 2013 no one would have believed that Chester would have a Harrods or an IKEA, or an Ivy. Take heart in the fact that H beauty didn’t chose to open in York or even in the economic and cultural powerhouse that is Wrexham. This sense of rebirth is also evident in the transformation of Eastgate square which has also attracted numerous new tenants and a stylish new look, new seating areas and even the promised return of toilets. H beauty, a new anchor tenant will also restore footfall to the shopping centre via the entrance on the rows.

Critics were disappointed that there was not much sense of the old building with the narrow shape of the beauty hall meaning that most of the historic features were out of sight- the stained glass window and the fabled chandeliers of the blue room. However Harrods have only taken on one part of the building, no one ever said that the whole building was being opened up. We Cestrians can be demanding and entitled, maybe understandable given the love for Browns and its history, but these things take time, as always, especially in Chester. The owners of the shopping centre, Martin’s Property Group, who have driven the revival, backed up with investment are well aware of the potential of the rest of the floors and will no doubt be working hard on future plans and attracting new tenants. The critics should be big enough to accept that not everything is going to meet their own personal wish list, and accept the bigger picture. H beauty might not be for you, or even me, but times change and what we have now is a fantastic addition given that around half of former Debenhams remain vacant.

Walking through to the Eastgate square entrance, I finally recognised the old space where I used to shop for Christmas gifts and past and present collided. We have entered a new chapter and whilst its taken a while to happen, we can celebrate the revival of the building and its potentially massive impact on the city.

Lord Mayor Sherin Akhtar commented in her speech :

“Today feels extra special. We are celebrating the arrival of a global brand and H Beauty fits perfectly with my civic theme of pride in place. When global names like Harrods choose to invest in Chester it sends a clear message about the confidence, the strength and reputation of our beautiful city. H Beauty’s decision to open here shows a real belief in Chester and an appreciation of our unique offer which makes out city stand out “