Shoppers' growing appetite for menswear and beauty products helped spur an "improving trend" in sales, UK department store chain House of Fraser said today.

The new owner of UK department store House of Fraser today promised a shake-up for Britain’s “boring” high street after buying the chain for £351m (€522.3m) this week.

Matalan boss John King was named chief executive of House of Fraser today after the department store chain changed hands in a £351m (€523.4m) deal.

Department stores chain House of Fraser was said today to be on the shopping list of private equity firm Apax Partners after revealing a bid approach last week.