Does anyone miss Debenhams/BHS?

[Hairbrush123]

I had a catch up with a friend earlier who said she misses Debenhams a lot and misses the staples she’d buy from BHS. I forgot until just today that they ever existed . My local town centre never had a Debenhams or BHS so maybe that’s why!

Does anyone else miss them?

I miss Debenhams, it was always my go to shop locally. The other day I went somewhere with a massive Debenhams and got excited when I saw it, momentarily forgot it had died 😔

I also miss the Debenhams of yore. We bought so much stuff from there when dh changed jobs around 25 years ago and we felt flush: Duresta sofas, a host of kitchenware including a food mixer. We then lived abroad for a decade and when we returned, it was a completely different shop and somewhere I didn’t want to go to much anymore.

I liked BHS for cheap homeware and things like bedroom lamps as well as things for my dd. I once took her there promising a pair of heels age 7 for parties etc only to be confronted with the highest heels for girls you can imagine in sizes 12+. I bought them as it was love at first sight despite my apprehension that they would hurt and damage her feet (they didn’t) and she could walk far better than me in them.

I think Next has filled the gap along with Primark.

Do not miss c&a at all.

Another one here for C&A! Miss it so much. Don't miss Woolworths, Debenham nor BHS. They sold overpriced tat.

Both good at christmas for different stocking fillers and for that person that is hard to buy for. I live quite a way from a major city so only went to them Christmas really.

Like a pp said Liverpool 1 isn't the same without Debenhams. The makeup counter assistants were always friendly, unlike those in JL and Lewis's. Just before Christmas their sales were great on the party wear. Their swimwear was brilliant, if you wanted short type bottoms, there was a big selection of mix and match in all shapes and sizes. I've been looking for hat/scarf/glove sets for my GC. Next have decided to do mittens this year and they're the top of my budget. I would have got a set in the blue zoo range.

"They sold overpriced tat."

How when Debenhams was made up of concessions, Woolworths sold practical stuff, music, ladybird/start right shoes, toys etc?
BHS had gone downhill, in the way M&S has.

I miss BHS for the lighting department, which used to have a fantastic range of light fittings and lampshades at really good prices. Some of it was really stylish and expensive looking.

Last time I bought lampshades, I couldn't find what I wanted anywhere and ended up buying them online. As so often happens, when they arrived the quality was much poorer than expected.

When BHS went, I used to go to Debenhams instead for lighting, and now I don't have that option.

I miss Debenhams more though, especially their bras. They did did bras in big sizes for a fraction of the cost of Bravissimo. And I liked being able to get everything under one roof.

I sorted out my airing cupboard the other day, and realised that almost all my bedlinen came from Debenhams, good brands picked up in the sales.

Once Debenhams had gone, I started going to a John Lewis 30 miles away for linens, towels etc, but that's closed now. Nearest is almost 50 miles away and a bastard journey because of traffic. I'm pissed off with John Lewis as well, I used to order stuff and collect it from Waitrose for free, now they've started charging. It's only a couple of quid, but it still annoys me!

I miss BHS for the lighting department, I forgot how amazing their lighting department was! You could always find what you wanted there and the quality was good.

@XenoBitch

I am a Bristol lass, and we had a massive multi-storey Debenhams that was loved by all for years.

I did work experience in the Bristol store back in the 80s. Spent two days stocking the shelves with balls of wool! I remember the ladies on that section being lovely and buying me a box of chocs when I left. Very sad to see it and M&S shut down. Broadmead is looking very depressing at the moment.

I miss Debenhams and Chelsea Girl.

@Draggondragon how interesting! They also have Debenhams in Dubai still. Do you shop in BHS/Debenhams as you still have the option?

@TwoBlondes

BHS lighting department was amazing, I've still got five lamps and a chandelier from there. I could never understand how they got the lighting so right and everything else so wrong!

The lighting dept still exists online

www.bhs.com/?utm_source=nmpi&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=search&utm_term=keyword&utm_content=ppc&gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=CjwKCAiA4veMBhAMEiwAU4XRrxV1Pngvrl9ViwFdl8wFmJhs604scCov8pjn7Mt2xJye--Y-Z4Jd8xoCxzwQAvD_BwE

For all those saying they miss Woolworths - B+M/Home Bargains/Poundstretchers etc has pretty much taken that slot. Much of what they sell is essentially the products that Woolworths stocked.
I say this as a former Woolworths employee. When Woolworths first went bust some of the 'own brand' stock was sold off in bulk to these retailers and for a few months you could get Woolworths branded products in places like B+M until the packaging was basically re printed.
As for the Ladybird clothing. I find the Pep and Co clothes (sold in Poundland or stand alone stores) similar quality.
So you can miss Woolworths....but actually you can easily buy most of what they sold in the current retailers out there.
As for BHS and Debenhams....to be honest no I don't miss them. I realise they were the type of shop I went into because they were there but never made a specific trip to go there.

I really miss BHS. It was undoubtedly fuddy duddy but in one respect only it was head and shoulders above the competition and that was its Lighting Department. Quite why the Lighting Department wasn't able to drag the other departments up to it's level or, more likely, the other departments didn't drag the Lighting Department down to their level we'll never know, but they sold stylish lighting at affordable prices. I even miss the piles of novelties and gifts they piled high each Christmas, they were so bad they were good!

Oh yes, BHS lighting! Loved that dept.
Wasn't fussed about the rest of it though.

C&A - LOVED that shop as a teen, we had a pretty big one near us and I preferred them to Dotty P's and Top Shop.

Woolworths was a great shop for "stuff". Missed it dreadfully when it closed but have got over it.

When I was a teen, Debenhams wasn't a patch on some of the other shops available to me - had Army & Navy, Bentalls (that's potentially outing of the area! ) Dickins & Jones - but as they steadily disappeared, or changed beyond all recognition, Debenhams was the last of them. :(

I wanted to buy a maternity swimming costume a couple of months ago and Debenhams was the first place I thought of. Unfortunately I ended up trailing around the nearest shopping centre having absolutely no luck whatsoever.

I miss a high street store in Ireland called Roches Stores.
Debenhams bought Roches Stores but our high streets were never the same.
We also had Woolworths and BHS (though that used to be a massive 'target' store as it was located on O'Connell Street in Dublin right beside the GPO so while the Troubles were happening it was like a red rag to a bull. That store is now a Penneys/Primark). I don't remember BHS as much as Woolworths but I do remember going to the Belfast BHS and I liked it.

I'd love it if Roches Stores came back.

Yes BHS! Used have one around the corner and could buy something everyone went in. Plus lovely home things and great kids wear. You could pick up a size 12 and know it would fit. Picked up a 14 and a 16
In marks yesterday. The 14 fits fine the 16 is to small! Still wearing a winter coat from there going strong and they have just been shut for 6y now

I miss BHS for their resteraunt and Christmas shop.
I do miss Debenhams as my city doesn't have many clothes shops now. DH bought everything clothes-wise from Debenhams in the sale.

To me wilko is same as old Woolworths it’s has pick n mix, stationary, household, towels, bedding, lights, bathroom, decorating, cleaning, health and toiletries and seasonal Gifts. The only thing it misses are baby clothes and music area.

No, I don't miss either, but I still mis Woolworths.

I live in a suburb of Brum which now has a huge BHS light shop but I've never been in. The shop used to be independently owned but in recent years has changed its sign to include BHS.

Akire yes Wilkos is definitely another 'like Woolworths'.
I do wonder if Woolworths hadn't gone bust they would still be hanging on the their 'Entertainment' department (ie the CDs, DVDs, computer games etc). CDs and DVDs are pretty much a dying genre now. In Woolworths last few years they barely sold amounts like they had in the past but they still marketed it as their 'flagship' department.
(The computer games -playstation etc sold much better though).
I would have been interesting to see if they had moved with the times.

Confession: Our wedding china came from BHS and I was much miffed when they stopped selling that range shortly after I got married. I managed to get all the china I wanted but I was still annoyed.

I found it/find it quite telling that any extras I've been able to buy to go with the set, have been purchased in a charity shop !

We used to have a large BHS in our town and it was much better than M&S for school uniforms.

I also liked their homewares and lighting.

I agree with other PPs that their adult fashion was rather dated but since it has closed ( along with Littlewoods ) my 83 year old mum has nowhere to buy her clothes from.
Even she can't stand much of M&S current lines.

Why would you be annoyed? They can’t keep selling the same range forever, it was BHS.