Debenhams confirms final closing dates for all remaining stores

5th May 2021

Elias Jahshan

Debenhams announces final closure dates for all remaining stores

Department Stores Property

// Debenhams confirms final closing dates for all of its remaining 49 stores: May 12 & May 15

// It had already announced the final closing date of 52 stores in April

// Debenhams had reopened 97 stores in England & Wales, plus 4 in Northern Ireland, to complete liquidation process

Debenhams has announced that all of its remaining stores will shut down for good on either May 12 or May 15.

On April 12, Debenhams reopened 97 stores in England and Wales to complete its final closing down sale as part of its liquidation process, and said it would continue to trade for a limited number of weeks until the stock in the stores is fully cleared.

Having already announced 52 store closures up to Saturday May 8, the collapsed department store chain has today confirmed its final 49 store closures.

The full list of the final 49 store closures is included is included at the bottom of this article.

READ MORE:

As part of Debenhams’ stock clearance, shoppers will be able find discounts across all stores, with up to 80 per cent off all fashion and home and up to 70 per cent off beauty and fragrance while stocks last.

“We are now heading into the final days of our closing down sale and this is the very last chance for our customers to take advantage of some incredible deals,” a spokesperson for Debenhams said.

They added: “Over the next 10 days, Debenhams will close its doors on the high street for the final time in its 242-year history.

“Our sincere thanks go out to all of our colleagues and customers who have joined us on this journey. We hope to see you all one last time in stores before we say a final goodbye to the UK high street.”

Debenhams went into liquidation in December, after an administration process that started in April last year failed to secure any buyers to save the department store chain.

About a month later in January, its brand, ecommerce operations and assets were purchased by Boohoo Group in a £55 million deal. The deal did not include Debenham’s store estate.

Administrators said at the time that it would continue running closing down sales across Debenhams’ remaining shops – which counted 118 in December – once they were allowed to reopen.

However, several weeks later in March, Debenhams said it would not reopen its 15 stores in Scotland when the country’s lockdown for non-essential retail was to be lifted on April 26. This resulted in 647 job losses.

Debenhams’ administrators said the Scottish Government’s lockdown exit timeline did not align with those expected in other parts of the UK, prompting it to make the decision to not reopen its Scottish stores briefly as it has done so in England and Wales.

The department store reopened its remaining four stores in Northern Ireland last week, when the country’s lockdown on non-essential retail ended on April 30.

With all of Debenhams’ stores closing down permanently as part of the liquidation and wind-down process, it means up to 12,000 staff would not have their jobs saved.

When it fell into administration in April last year, Debenhams went on to announce significant job cuts and store closures – including its flagship outlet on London’s Oxford Street.

That administration was also the second of its kind that Debenhams had launched within the space of 12 months.

The first administration in 2019 was followed up by CVA that saw it close down scores of stores immediately after the Christmas trading season that year.

Before that first administration, Debenhams operated from around 160 stores across the UK.

Debenhams stores closing on May 12: