Harrods is owned by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, which bought the store from Egyptian businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed a decade ago. You’ll often find supercharged supercars outside the store carrying Kuwaiti & Qatari plates. Much of Al-Fayed’s legacy remains. There is the wonderfully exquisite/uber-kitsch (delete as appropriate) Egyptian escalator at the centre of the building. Images of pharaohs with the visage of Al-Fayed still stare down on visitors as they head up. Speaking of escalators, London’s first escalator opened at Harrods in 1898. The moving ramp had customers so traumatised when they got to the top that a shot of brandy was handed out to the men. The women were not so lucky and were just given smelling salts to revive them after the trauma of the experience.
Harrods department store in London was founded by Charles Henry Harrod in 1849 – originally just a single room located where the Egyptian room is today halfway along the side facing Knightsbridge. It became a department store in the 1880s and over the next century and a half established its luxury reputation around the world. Like Blue Badge guides and the Royal family, Harrods has adapted and changed over the years. Gone are the days when it offered deportment lessons for debutantes being presented to King George V. Gone are the days when they offered flying lessons. Gone are the days (although they weren’t that long ago) where the female staff on the shop floor had to wear heels. Gone are the fur coats for sale……actually no they are still there, as are the frequent protests by animal-rights activists outside.
