Letter: Battle for Kendals

Sir: David Crawford is right in believing that Kendals of Manchester, established in 1796, is the world's oldest department store, but he is wrong to say that the London upstart Whiteleys of Bayswater 'became part of the Harrods Group earlier this century' (letter, 18 December).

As is recorded in A Legend of Retailing . . . House of Fraser by Michael Moss and Alison Turton (Weidenfeld & Nicholson): 'After a tense struggle, Gordon Selfridge won control of the famous Whiteleys in Bayswater. He paid the fabulous sum of pounds 10m, rashly guaranteeing annual dividends of 25 per cent for 15 years.'

That was in 1927 and was one of the very few occasions when Harrods was bested. Perhaps Mr Crawford was thinking of Harrods' successful takeover of Kendals in 1919. Harrods intended to change the name of Kendals to its own, but the people of Manchester registered strong disapproval and Kendals it has remained to this day.

Yours faithfully,

MICHAEL COLE

House of Fraser

London, SW1

18 December