The end of Debenhams in the high street

Ban-jani said:
Town is a shit hole, I am hoping the new working from home culture shift will make small town and village centres thrive again.

At least I won’t have to walk through Piccadilly Gardens to get to Market St for something to wear.
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it really is a complete shit hole I agree
 
MaineDAWG2008 said:
Disgusting... should the govt help out? Owners be fined? Has to be some sort of system in place to help out retail outlets, whether big or small.

Where did they fail? Cheaper alternatives? Poor product marketing?
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They've been poorly managed for years and the warning signs were as early as around 2008 when Faith and Principles went under they bought them which raised eyebrows in the retail industry as both companies were worth nothing.

Thougout the 2010's they continued to open big stores when other departments stores started to adapt their online business model and downsize or reduce their shops.

The rumour within the retailer sector was that the management prioritized a high street presence rather than a online one as they believed customers still thought as shopping as an experience rather than a convenience.

Case in point is that they spent £35M on a new store in Wolverhampton in 2017 only to close it just 2 years later as it was making huge losses.

By the time they realized that the high street was being overtaken by online they spent more money updating their online business model but by then it was too late. It was only a matter of time before they collapsed and they were praying for a takeover.

The problem for potential buyers though were the rates Debenhams are paying for their shops. They are astronomical and that pretty much put everyone off. Also the COVID factor didn't help.

Boohoo have spent £55M buying Debenhams online as they have the wharhouses for the stock and the website is pretty robust so they don't have to spend that much to upgrade or change it.

I feel sorry for that vast amount of Debenhams staff who have now lost their jobs to constant bad management. Failing to adapt to online has destroyed the business
 
God knows what will happen to the one in Stockport! The Council own that building and the main precinct car park is on top of it. No doubt a great opportunity for a huge Poundland or some other type of shite shop!
 
blue for life said:
God knows what will happen to the one in Stockport! The Council own that building and the main precinct car park is on top of it. No doubt a great opportunity for a huge Poundland or some other type of shite shop!
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god that brings back memories. Spent hours in that shop with my mum as a kid.
 
Same old story, Debenhems had too many stores with too much space in low foot fall areas. Retailers are crippled by rent and haven't reduced stores to bring down their outgoings. Store experience is the same as it was in the 90s and aren't giving customers enough reason to shop there. It speaks volumes that Boohoo are taking over their website and stock but won't touch any of the stores (why would you?).

Never shopped their myself personally, not a fan of the clothes.
 
All down to rents and the internet, but what I can't understand is why councils insist on charging astronomical rents, then see places like this fold, and are
then in receipt of Jack Shit as they're empty for years.
 
All sad for those affected, but the pandemic has just speeded up the further rise of online shopping and death of town centres that was coming anyway. I actually can't remember the last time I went into town just to have a mooch round. Used to be nearly every weekend for something to do but only if I absolutely have to now. Immense change in the last thirty years and I wonder what the future holds for town centres.
 
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