WE shared the news that Carlisle's long-established House of Fraser store has announced a 'closing down' sale, with speculation mounting that it could shut up shop within a few months.

Despite staff using numerous posters to announce the sale, nobody at the business would comment on a claim that a closure may be completed by May, ending a decades-long city centre presence for the retailer.

Here's what readers said.

Lena Mcallister said she used to work at the store. "It hasn't been updated much since then, but I think the House of Fraser will be a massive miss on the high street as well as the Body Shop."

Catherine Ann Walker said: "My great grandmother, grandmother and mother worked in “Binns”. Corsets, menswear, Clinique. Walking around the store-even in its current state, still feels like my playground."

Garry Reggie Greenhow said he had 'childhood memories of visiting Santa and visiting the restaurant'.

Sue Reinhold added: "That’s very sad to hear many happy memories in this place especially in the Cafe and the lifts."

Fiona Murray commented: "It's such a shame but I suspect the beauty concessions have been keeping House of Fraser going for a long time, they do tend to need a high street presence so hopefully if as some posts suggest there is the potential to merge with Sports Direct and take over the Debenhams building, that would minimize a lot of damage to the city centre."

Sue McBride Armstrong also said: "So sad, I've a lot of really happy memories of my 10 plus years working here."