Debenhams reveals 50 of its English stores including its flagship on Oxford Street will reopen on 15 June
- Frasers Group failed last week to force a review into Debenhams’ finances
- The department store chain fell into administration twice in the space of a year
- Debenhams has permanently closed over a dozen stores in the last two months
Embattled department store giant Debenhams has announced that 50 of its establishments will reopen on 15 June after more than two months of being shut as a result of coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
The reopening will take place a week after the retailer resumes trading at its three Northern Ireland stores. However, the number is lower than the 90 outlets the 207-year old company had initially planned to reopen in the middle of the month.
Cambridge, Liverpool, Leeds, and Sheffield are among the cities that will see Debenhams stores restart trade. The firm says its remaining establishments will recommence business later in the week.
Debenhams will reopen most of its stores on June 15, though not its Scottish and Welsh stores
Its Oxford Street store, where Debenhams is headquartered, is also among the 50 outlets in England that will reopen to customers on June 15, though with strict health and safety measures in place. Its stores in Scotland and Wales will remain shut though until government restrictions are relaxed.
Debenhams’ Managing Director Stephen Cook stated: ‘From the installation of perspex screens at till points to the roll-out of social distancing procedures and PPE, we have been working hard to ensure our colleagues and customers can work and shop with confidence.
‘Our reopening plans follow the successful conclusion of lease negotiations on 120 stores, meaning that the vast majority of our stores will be reopening.’
Since the Covid-19 pandemic forced all non-essential shops to close their doors to customers, Debenhams has permanently closed more than a dozen of its stores following its fall into administration for the second time in twelve months.
In all, Debenhams will reopen 120 stores. It had 142 prior to the coronavirus lockdown
The retailer has been struggling over the last few years due to declining footfall at its outlets, as well as the rise of online shopping and high business rates, among other factors that have in addition affected the wider high street.
Back in January, Debenhams declared that it would shut down 19 stores in cities such as Canterbury. Three months later, it said that another seven would close for good, including one in Birmingham’s Bullring Centre, with the loss of about 400 roles.
In all, the firm will reopen 120 stores, down from the 142 it had prior to the Covid-19 lockdown. By contrast, John Lewis has not announced any store closures.
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group tried to have a ‘provisional liquidator’ appointed to investigate the Debenham’s financial affairs. A judge threw out
Last week, the company survived an attempt by Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group to force a review into its finances and subsequently revealed that it had made hundreds of its head office staff redundant.
A judge refused Frasers Group’s request to allow a ‘provisional liquidator’ to investigate the company’s financial affairs, saying that such an appointment was not urgently needed and that Debenhams’ other shareholders and creditors had not been informed of the application.
Frasers Group was a part-owner of Debenhams before the store chain first went into administration. It is currently owned by a holding company called Celine UK Newco 1 Limited.