Debenhams has gone bust. Will you miss it?

I feel exactly the same about Debenhams Lucca They lost their way many years ago, I didn't even bother going in for the last few years before I left UK.
As you say though its a shame for all the staff.

I have used it on line for a long time and will miss it, being disabled I don't really do much in store shopping. I liked Debenhams and their prices were competitive. I hope they keep their online presence.

I've not been in an actual Debenhams store for well over a year. I have shopped on line quite often as I find their website easier to use than the store.
I used to get lost in the Glasgow store and could never find my way out. I always ended up in the menswear department. It just felt chaotic and was always way too hot.

Hope they keep the website though.

When we had three of the major department stores going strong in our city centre we thought that the writing was on the wall for our only remaining independent family store. Now all the ‘names’ have gone to the wall except John Lewis - and it was touch and go for them recently - but the family run store, which has been there for over a hundred years, is still going strong and a pleasure to shop in. It has moved with the times with quality merchandise and is always well patronised. Makes you think.

I agree with some of the other posters who said that it was always very difficult to find a member of staff to help at Debenhams, if it was needed. A friend of mine said the same. This always put me off a bit. When my daughter was little, 20 odd years ago, we liked the childrens’’ clothing ranges there, but I haven’t bought anything for myself at Debenhams, just the odd small household item. Very sad the way the department stores are going - and even more sad that jobs are being lost.

Many years ago, I found Debenhams to be very old-fashioned. Even though I've lived walking distance from one for over a decade, I think I've been in 3 times, and found nothing to change my initial opinion.

Urmstongran

I wonder what’s going to happen to all these huge empty department stores? Not office space, nor banks I suppose as there isn’t a need. Revamp as housing/apartments in city centres? Parking spaces would need to be allocated.

I bet we wouldn’t recognise our city centres in 10 years’ time.

The Beatties (House of Fraser) has been bought for student accommodation. They’ll be able to roll out of bed and into the local pubs and clubs. It was so big that it was easy to get lost and has a coffee shop, a self service restaurant and a silver service restaurant though that closed down quite a while ago - not so many “ladies who lunch” these days!

like stepping back into the 1950s

And that was probably part of the problem Oopsminty

I think our local one has long gone

I assume they're still online

Haven't bought much from them over the years

Quite liked going in though, as it was like stepping back into the 1950s

Debenhams lost the plot, it wasn't somewhere that I automatically thought of when I needed supplies. Their stores went on for twenty years following the collapse of C&A. But the only difference to me, between the two companies, was the name above the store.

It's often argued that the internet is the death knell of the High Street. Woolworths went long before the internet took off, BHS it might be argued, was a victim and stores like Owen Owen & Allders were all High Street pre-internet casualties.

The current favourite is The Range, will it too go the way of the others? Or once their founder, Chris Dawson, either takes the money, from selling his company, or pops his mortal coil, The Range will become something different. You only have to look at Tesco, M&S, Sainsburys and others to see that the company changes under a new head honcho. Get it right and the shoppers flock in, but alas, not too many get it right.

I used to enjoy their sale lingerie rails and bought makeup there occasionally. But other than that, out of my price range. I stopped buying from them once Mike Ashley took over as the place as other posters have said it because it turned into a crowded jumble sale but also I was concerned if they went under I wouldn’t be able to return purchases.

Debenhams nearest to me was a dingy down market shop badly in need of a refurb. This, combined with staff who only wanted to chat about their social life put lots of people off going in. It’s still sad for the staff who might lose their jobs. The high street is definitely changing but unfortunately not for the better.

Debenhams is my go to store for so many things and Christmas presents. As far as I know the store is still going a short bus ride away. I have been buying clothes etc on line from them since the virus precautions started.

Of course I'm sorry for the staff, but I gave up shopping at our local store a good while back. The customer service wasn't the best. The final straw for me was when I tried in vain to book the personal shopper when I needed a mother of the bride outfit. They didn't get back to me though I emailed, left phone messages and even called at the store when I was passing. I gave up and went to Harvey Nicholls, where the help I got was superb.

I won’t miss Debenhams, but I’m very sorry for the staff who are left without jobs at this difficult time.

I will miss M+Co who have just closed their store in my little town, although there is another one fifteen minutes drive away. Again I feel really sorry for the staff who have lost their jobs.

Debenhams has been my “go to” store when I needed something special and also my summer T-shirts. Makeup, perfume, trousers that fit me properly, oh dear you name it and they provided it. I always had to travel fifty miles to get there but it was worth it. Very sad

I wonder what’s going to happen to all these huge empty department stores? Not office space, nor banks I suppose as there isn’t a need. Revamp as housing/apartments in city centres? Parking spaces would need to be allocated.

I bet we wouldn’t recognise our city centres in 10 years’ time.

I will miss it in Chester. It's situated in the old iconic Browns of Chester building. Very sad and i'm sorry for all the people who will lose their jobs if this is the end of the line.

No. Never used Debenhams. I like John Lewis or M&S. .

We have one in our local town centre and I will miss it. My DH likes their clothing range very much and will also miss it.

The Debenhams in town was only there for a year or so. Big fanfare when it opened but often no staff in sight and only tiny and extra large sizes on the rails. Their opening led to the demise of the only other long standing family owned store so now there’s little point in going in to town. The rates alone were staggeringly high, plus rent, commercial rates for heating and lighting etc before the wages.

We went into our city centre store a couple of times in the run up to Christmas. It was so devoid of customers (and staff!) that you almost expected tumbleweed to come rolling past you! Others said the same. We felt the writing was on the wall then.

Yes I will miss Debenhams. Such a nice shop to browse in and good sales too. I even bought things at full price there!

Debenhams has not been as good as it used to be for a while, but I will miss it. Sorry for all those who have lost their jobs too.

It’s a shame, I agree, and I’m also sorry for the staff losing their jobs. My local town has Debenhams in its shopping centre, over four floors, and has had the whiff if despair about it for a couple of years.

I used to buy the odd thing in there from time to time, mainly their own range of knitwear, particularly when they had their regular reductions (desperate!), but it lost its way years ago, I think, and couldn’t keep up with modern times.

I think most department stores are going to suffer from the Covid fallout, even John Lewis is culling staff and closing stores, so none of them are immune, sadly.