Debenhams - another shop from my past gone.

It began when Woolworths went under i think, the slippery slope for those type of shops, then B.H.S! Im very disappointed as Debenhams is the only real dept store left like its type.John Lewis are more high end prices and M&S are really (more affordable) clothes& food these days than John Lewis..so sadly its all going that way...there just hasn't been the footfall since covid began to support these shops the world over!but online shopping can't be enough to sustain them.Sad really.?

CarlyD7 I am trying to visualise what animal he will come back as. Some animals can look fierce but be quite cute. Not him.

Interesting to hear a retail analyst talk about what went wrong at Debenhams - she said that Phillip Green resisted taking it online until it was too late. She also said that he was a businessman, not a retailer and didn't understand Retail at all. An ex-manager of his said that she'd left the company when she was forced to actually work with him as he was a terrible Bully. We can only hope that Karma will work its magic on PG (my Buddhist friend says he'll be reborn as an animal!)

Debenhams was not my destination of choice for a long time but still sad to see it go. Our town centre has lost a big M&S, BHS and now Debenhams - it'll be half dead. I fear the days of these big shops are over.

This is a sad time for the Debenhams staff. I grew up with a department store named Greys, which then became Debenhams and I have shopped with them for most of my life. I have always loved the diversity of a department store and liked to spend time in each department, have a coffee and a snack or meal in between and then back on another floor. This type of store will be a distant memory soon, so sad.

Debenhams, Topshop, Laura Ashley and our rather small John Lewis have all gone or are going. I am not surprised. In our town if you went in any of those shops it was spot the shopper.
I had predicted for years that these would disappear and for once I was right about something.

I must admit that I haven't shopped in Debenhams for at least 5 years mainly because of where it is in my town - too far when you have a set time between buses and 2 hours until the next !
I have several items in my wardrobe that I bought several years ago and it was always the place to go for special outfits such as mother of the bride, or any wedding outfit along with dressy outfits for evening wear.
All the clothing was well made and of a good quality.
Sadly, the shop within a shop idea really started the downfall I believe - when the quality of the clothing in the concessions dropped to the point where many people looked elsewhere.
I like clothes shopping - just being able to see the items, look at the material and how well (or not) it has been made and especially after being caught out more than once when what I had ordered looks nothing like the photo!

Unfortunately at the time that the dividend was paid, it was entirely legal. Generally legislation about these things comes after abuse. Of course it did require Green to have absolute trust in his wife - shame that wasn't abused a bit!

I do desperately sorry for all those who have lost their jobs, either through bad business management or as a consequence of lockdown. There are far reaching knock on affects, to suppliers of Debenhams, even if the goods are shipped from abroad.
One of our village pubs has just folded, due to the latest lockdown. It may have not been necessary, but it was people’s livelihoods, it served inexpensive meals where often older people on their own could eat and socialise.
As for on line shopping, I have sourced small Uk companies to buy presents on line. It’s been a good experience so far

I think the pandemic has just speeded up the process of the death of the high street. It is possible to buy clothes on line, certainly the basics. What is more problematical are special occasion wear such as for a wedding. All that will be left may be prohibitively expense boutiques!
I'm sure we all have happy memories of department stores from the scent of powder and perfume when you walk in to having a snack in the restaurant. When my daughters were younger,maybe a decade ago it was a Christmas ritual. Looking around the shops,buying last minute gifts and a snack to finish with. Happy memories.
Last year I ventured into Debenhams for pyjamas for my grandson. I hadn't had much luck elsewhere but was sure they would have some. Nope,and the whole store felt like a jumble sale!
I think we have taken our eye off the ball. Department stores were a happy memory we rarely visited. Online shopping is easy, convenient and often cheaper.
A supplier to Debenhams said on the news that they didnt make the store a place people really wanted to go.
Online shopping and high rents have played a part. I also wonder whether the disinterest of the owners of such big companies also plays a part. This is probably not so true of smaller local department stores. The likes of Arcadia though seem to have greed as a priority.
Due to the virus I havent accessed shops since March. I cant imagine there are many shops in either of my local town.
It was pointed out that some shops have thrived, such as Primark (who are not renowned for their ethics) and of course Amazon has made truly shocking profits.
The question is what we will be left with when this does die down and how the remaining big players will exploit the situation.

That's just your experience of online shopping it's not mine. It is much cheaper for me to order online than to drive and pay parking at a shopping centre ten miles away. People will do what is most convenient for them I am afraid. Most of the products I buy online are from the high street retailers themselves.

Online shopping is responsible for the decline in the High Street, and it is not cheaper unless you spend a large amount; most companies charge extra for delivery unless you use Amazon, and having been conned once, and nearly twice, over Amazon Prime, I won't have anything to do with it. Returns are difficult, and I like to see colours, materials and the standard of products before I buy; on a very low level, there is nowhere now within ten miles of where I live to buy good makeup, able to test colours and seek advice from the consultant.
The market is being flooded with cheaply made shoddy goods because people can't see what they are buying.
I am desperately sorry for all those in retail losing their jobs; packing boxes in a factory is not the same as serving a customer, and the working conditions and salary will reflect this.

Absolutely feel sorry for the staff losing their jobs. Debenhams has been under threat for what seems like years now. As others have said it consistently misses the mark, it's just doesn't cut it as an attractive retail experience, I'm surprised it's survived for this long. If John Lewis the very best of what department stores offer struggle, Debenhams for sure were never going to survive with their mish mash of unattractively laid out shops within shops.

Honeyrose people like Philip Green don’t know what a conscience is.

The high street was already changing and it's just progressed more quickly with the recent slump in shopping.

I don't think online shopping is 'ruining' anything, Kandinsky. People are just choosing to shop that way as it's cheaper.

High streets will survive (well, most of them) with some retailers but the days of department stores are ending.

i think almost by definition, an asset stripper is not much concerned with moral issues.

Yes honeyrose I’ve often wondered why people are allowed to keep these ‘honours’. Another example is Jeffrey Archer after committing perjury I believe?
Anyway sorry for the digression from the original post!!!

This may sound naive, but is it illegal what Philip Green has done - that is, transferring mega amounts of money to his wife who lives in a tax haven? It certainly should be. How dreadful for the thousands of people losing their jobs and whose pensions are under threat. He should be stripped of his knighthood at the very least. He also should be forced to sell off some of his yachts to give the employees/retired staff a bit of a lifeline. This all might sound quite simplistic, but the man is an asset stripper and I hope he has a conscience for the devastation caused.

chewbacca I know Debenhams in Chester very well. A long time ago it used to be Browns of Chester before being taken over by Debenhams. Sadly my niece works there so will be losing her job.

And Dorothy Perkins is going as well. My Mum bought me my first bra in there! Very sad its going.

This is why I have to believe in karma.
He doesn’t give a stuff for his employees.

Philip Greed - how apt. I stand to be corrected but he was trying to get £30M to prop up his business while his family took dividends of £1.2BILLION!

I feel very sad for those retail staff losing their jobs.

The writing has been on the wall for a long time - the last time we went in it was practically deserted and very few staff about. It’s demise will leave our city centre with one independent department store, and John Lewis. We used to have five. My DiL asked for Debenhams vouchers for Christmas - glad we held off getting them!

The last time I was in a Debenhams store was in Chester, last Christmas. It was like a jumble sale. Hardly any staff on the shop floor and it was a nightmare to navigate around the store because it was so cluttered. But I'm sorry to see yet another long serving high street store go.

Even opening for 'Wild Wednesday everything must go' will not tempt me into my local Debenhams.

I last bought anything at a debenhams about 20 years ago, although I suppose I wander around one once a year, Not so much wander as a steady walk. All those horrid little boutiques with about a tenth of each concessions usual stock. I would sooner go to a proper Dorothy Perkins than a DP concession in Debenhams.

Debenhams death has been slow and relentless for atleast the last ten years.