Harrods’ closure of compensation scheme for survivors of alleged sexual abuse called ‘neither fair nor just’

Harrods set up the scheme after dozens of women came forward with allegations of abuse by the late entrepreneur going back as far as 1977. Photograph: Murdo Macleod/The Guardian

Harrods has been accused of being “neither fair nor just” over its decision to close a compensation scheme for survivors of alleged sexual abuse by the luxury department store’s former owner Mohamed Al Fayed.

Kingsley Hayes, partner at KP Law, which is representing nearly 280 survivors, questioned why the scheme was being closed on Tuesday 31 March, before Harrods had completed an internal investigation into what happened and who knew about it.