Mike Ashley accused of overturning a fur ban at House of Fraser

Mike Ashley has been accused of overturning a fur ban at House of Fraser, as customers find coats lined with raccoon and rabbit fur on retailer's racks.

The retail tycoon was criticised after shocked shoppers discovered the garments featured  real fur and were readily available online and in store.

One £240 coat by luxury French brand Pyronex is described on House of Fraser’s website as having a 100 per cent fur raccoon fur trim.

Shoppers took to social media to express their outrage, with many saying that they will boycott the store ahead of the busy Christmas period.

One Twitter user, Robyn, wrote: "@houseoffraser selling real rabbit fur as fur trim on coats. This was the bluewater store. Shame on you. I'm boycotting House of Fraser this year now!”

The news is a surprising U-turn following the companies proud and long-standing no-fur policy under previous owners the Sanpower Group.

In 2017, it was revealed in an investigation that items marketed by House of Fraser as faux-fur were in fact real fur.

The then Head of Sustainability at the company Dorothy Maxwell told an EFRA Committee inquiry in 2018 that such incidents were both “damaging to our reputation” and “completely against our values”.

She added: “We have genuinely been a fur-free retailer for many, many years and we do not want to have real fur in our store.”

The Humane Society wrote to House of Fraser on Friday, Claire Bass, Executive Director said: “‘Mike Ashley’s decision to overturn House of Fraser’s long-standing fur-free policy feels desperate and misguided.

“House of Fraser’s decision to throw away its moral compass in a bid to make a quick buck is painfully out of touch with the anti-fur zeitgeist.

“House of Fraser’s desperate financial times do not justify such desperate measures, this is a misjudgement that will further prove the contempt with which the British public hold the fur trade.”

PETA’s Director, Elisa Allen said they had contacted the retailer to “reiterate that a no-fur policy comes with a responsibility to remain vigilant”.    They added that fur comes from animals who likely spend their lives “confined to wire cages before being painfully electrocuted”.    Mike Ashley's Sports Direct agreed to buy the department store for £90m last year after the 169-year-old chain went into administration.

Mr Ashley said his plan was to turn the 59-store chain in to the "Harrods of the High Street".

Sports Direct and Mike Ashley were approached for comment.