When's the last time you went in an actual Debenham's store?

[1stDecember]

It was half a decade ago for me. I don't buy from them online either.

They don't seem to have moved with the times?

October and there was nothing worth having. It looked untidy and there were hardly any staff. The previous time I wanted to get a sample of foundation before buying the whole bottle. The concession member of staff wasn't there that day and the very sweet junior was trying her best. In the end she escalated it to someone on another counter who couldn't be bothered. She said she couldn't do samples due to allergies. But could sell me a whole bottle . Sadly though its been going downhill for years

When someone is tired of Debenhams, they have a life.

Trying to remember, probably back end of the summer. All untidy sale rails. Used to use the cafe a bit when the kids were small as had a fabulous view over to the cathedral (Exeter), but the service was slow and the food options were strange! Bought some boots in there in 2018!

I will miss my local one. Like I posted before the cafe is great. I've recently ordered on line and it was straight forward so I think the problems people are having just be down to the huge demand on,the website. Then one near me is fairly new though and I can't imagine any other retailer taking it over. It will be such a shame if it stays unused. I think the high street is in serious trouble.
A lot of online clothing retailers are a bit cheap and tacky, no offence, but Boo Hoo and Pretty Little Things aren't for me. Primark is o k but not great for work wear.
I think people will also find they have to use public toilets which aren't always great. I stopped using Costa because of the fire toilets.

Dire not fire.

Probably 15 years ago.

The ones I had access too were very tired and the ceilings were too low. It was always hot and jumbled up.

Just before lockdown. I bought some Clarins toiletries and two cotton tops from their own range. I'll miss it. They had a jewellery repair booth and a nice café.

A couple of months ago. DH needed some next work shirts and trousers. We got them there. I usually end up doing some Christmas shopping there and I got some new decent wine glasses a few years ago to replace some that were lost in an insurance claim situation.

In September. The 1 in Walsall. It's too far from the rest of the shops nothing else at that end of town really. Walked in looked round and left. Nothing grabbed my attention at all.

I have bought the odd bit of children’s clothing . Also visited the cafe occasionally with kids .

Bought a dress from
There for a wedding in 2007.
Used to cut through it from car park to other shops but was never tempted to pick something up.

My nearest one is in Liverpool and it’s quite a nice store so pre-COVID I used to go in fairy often because they have more reasonably priced concessions/own brand stuff than John Lewis. However John Lewis is a nicer store.

About a year and a half ago, for a wedding outfit and hat. Got totally sorted! Always a good place to go for an occasion outfit and I do think it's a real pity that option won't be there. Boohoo and PLT wouldn't hook me up for a church wedding!

We also did our wedding gift list there so lots of our household things are from Debenhams. I'm really sorry to see it go.

That said I suppose if enough people are like me only use it for certain things, it's impossible to sustain those huge buildings and city centre rents. Apparently they lost their buyer due to the collapse of Arcadia and the impact of the loss of those brands. Such a shame, and awful for the staff.

I went in the oxford st one yesterday and it was rammed. As it would be sad really.

I could never find any staff to buy anything from.

Tonight in a small town.. It was awful. Dark dingy not much stock what they did have was either wrong season or concession.

Last year to find shirts for our wedding. Found a lovely Jeff Banks shirt. But it was £10 cheaper online through another company. Before that I’m not even sure I’ve been in one.

Visited today and had breakfast in the cafe, been in there many times, feel very sad. Staff today said they were praying for a last minute buy-out 🙏

I was a regular shopper in Debenhams until they closed in March. I loved Mantaray and Phase Eight for occasion wear. The one in Dublin city centre (used to be Roches Stores) was lovely - a big, bright and clean store - nothing like the shops you're describing. I feel very sorry for the Irish staff (a lot of them were formerly employed by Roches) who have been screwed in terms of their pensions.

There are 2 Debenhams stores nearish to me and they are both bright and glitzy. It looks like they have spent millions on a makeover of the image.

Probably about this time last year when I was buying DH some pyjamas for Christmas. I don't go to our local big town all that often anyway, but would usually pop in to have a look around at the homewares. Haven't been in there at all this year what with lockdown and all that.

I went to the one in Central London (Oxford St) yesterday evening and it had 'Everything Must Go' / 'Store Closing' plastered all over the outside.

They didn't let me in as it was nearly closing time but I asked if there was a closing down sale, and they said no, the posters were there just to attract customers

A few years ago probably, just for the makeup counters, the one where we are is really shabby.

The Debenhams in Chester is beautiful though, such a lovely old building, really hope they don’t just leave it vacant now.

2006? 🤷🏻‍♀️