Debenhams closing lots of stores

[StealthPolarBear]

Including the one near us. How awful :(

Stockton has just been on Look North. There are so many empty units already that this will be a huge blow.

There’s another 20 odd closing - they just haven’t been named yet. It’s very sad but they can’t compete either with JL or the internet. They are neither one thing nor the other.

The selection of stores to close will be to do with the lease terms. A sites lease might have a massive penalty to break it before the end of the term. Sometimes it is cheaper to keep a store open 20 years and pay staff than break a lease.

Being in administration / CVA makes it easier to break leases.

The one in our nearest big town's on the list. Another huge empty store on the high street. Opposite the massive M&S which closed a few months ago. I feel for the staff. Retail workers used to be absorbed into other stores when theirs closed. But that doesn't happen as much now. The high streets are dying a death.

The rot set in when the larger furniture and electrical concessions such as Perrings, Comet, Powerstore et al, which paid a fixed rent and occupied large areas of otherwise dead space in oversized stores, went kaput or moved to out of town retail parks (with cheaper overheads and easier distribution networks) in 1990s. Debenhams has struggled to make the format work since , partly due to the economic downturn, and taken on brands such as Sports Direct to try to generate footfall and visual interest, but ended up with a chaotic and bargain basement instead. I can see some sites such as Guildford being redeveloped into something more usable and Canterbury is on a split site so would hopefully find new occupiers for each unit.

All the ones near us are listed. Shame.
I like their dresses. Dh likes their shirts.
I know this is a bit crude, but: Does this mean that at some point late 2019, early 2020 they will sell off stock? Have a sale?

My nearest one was built less than two years ago. It’s a beautiful modern store & is always busy, I travel 20 miles to shop there. I’m glad it’s not on the list of 22 stores to close.

One near me is on the list. They do nice clothes but the perfumes, makeup, kids toys and even most of the clothing brands can be found in other shops in our town centre at cheaper prices, so I’m not surprised.

The Debenhams where I am is huge. It’s not closing. For now anyway. I can’t think what could go in there if it did close. The building has been a department store for about 80 years. The big M&S in the town centre closed and the building is still empty

Putting off the inevitable I fear. The remaining shops probably only have a stay of execution.

They are a bit dated now as someone else said. I only go there for bras or at Christmas.
It's sad but a sign of the times.

Mine is going, but I’m not surprised.

I’ve gone in there at least 20 times in the last couple of years and come away empty handed.

Anyone fancy a stockton meet up for coffee and scone ther?

And I don't ever remember them having a food hall, wow!

People who have been in stockton for decades, that staircase just takes me back :(

Nanasueathome, Wilko's are taking over part of the old (three storey) BHS store, but I'm not sure whether it's one or two floors.

The Matalan will be taking over all or part of the closed down New Look store.

Where's B&M going?

There are already two - one out on the Bilston Road and one out in Bentley Bridge.

Our local one is staying, but I have a funny feeling they have negotiated their rent as the M&S is leaving which is opposite it.
Oh well, the shoplifters will be happy it’s staying open 🤷🏼‍♀️

Mine is, along with the JL opposite. Gutted to say the least but not surprised. They're anchor stores for a lot of wonderful indies down there and I'm hoping it doesn't kill them off. There's definitely more of a foodie scene developing that way though so switching up the area perhaps to going out/cafe culture than shopping. We have another store in the city but where that's located is dying a death too.

Not sure where B&M will be sited in Wolverhampton centre
The local Wolverhampton paper has a headline that Wolverhampton residents are reeling with the loss of Debenhams
Find this hard to believe. Hardly anyone shops in there anyway so no idea how they could be reeling

I saw that too Nana - I thought it should've read that residents are shocked that a store which opened to such a fanfare 18 months ago is already closing.

Is Wilko moving then?

Guildford store is closing and that has been there for 50 odd years! I certainly remember going in my pushchair.

It basically hasn't changed since, and that's always been it's problem. Shabby and badly designed, like shopping in a jumble sale. Yes, they do have some good labels, but the experience is just not up to much.

Hoping the council will allow a change of use, it is on a prime site next to the river, why not build some apartments for key workers, they could get 50 on that site, and a short walk to the station. Could be paid for by selling the top flats for millions. Knowing our stupid council though they will probably insist on keeping is as retail, and it will be empty for years.

"The Mike Ashley effect. Everything he touches turns to shit."

Spoken like a true idiot.

Ashley had been wanting to rescue and invest in DebenTurds before they went the CVA route just because they would rather see the business fail and split rather than let Ashley take over like he did with House of Fraser. Not very clever....

And if everything he touches turns to shit, pray tell, just why are his Sports Direct and other businesses doing so well and making him rather well off?

(No need to answer that one, it was rhetorical....)

Geographically Stockton is my nearest but I never go to the town since I worked there 12 years ago.
Sometimes Boro but mostly North to Gateshead/Newcastle

"The local Wolverhampton paper has a headline that Wolverhampton residents are reeling with the loss of Debenhams
Find this hard to believe. Hardly anyone shops in there anyway so no idea how they could be reeling"

Unfortunately it is the hypocrites who make the most noise about shops closing down. These are the online shopping warriors who are far too "busy" to shop in physical shops and think that online shopping is far superior. These are the people that need to get their asses down to the high street, or we won't have one left at all

I used to shop in BHS, I still shop in Debenhams. I mourn the loss of BHS, and I will mourn the loss of Debenhams if my local one closes down, but at least I am not a hypocrite about it.