Torquay’s Debenhams to close May 8

THE final closing date has been confirmed for Torquay’s Debenhams store.

The four-storey cornerstone of harbourside shopping will close for the final time on Saturday May 8.

From this week, shoppers will find prices further slashed with up to 80% off fashion and home and at least 50% off everything else across the store, including beauty and fragrance.

Debenhams announced: “These discounts will come into effect from April 28 as we clear the last remaining stock.”

Torquay was one of the list of 25 stores in England and Wales to close by early next month.

The department store site used to be known as Bobby’s before Debenhams took it over in 1974. Plans are now being drawn up to demolish the harbourside Debenhams store in Torquay.

Torbay Council wants to regenerate the site with a mixed development of flats and commercial use, including restaurants at street level. The council bought the main Debenhams building and a smaller property in The Strand in spring 2020 to prevent the key site from falling out of use if the store closed.

The £1.65million property deal followed the council’s purchase of the Fleet Walk shopping centre in Torquay for £15million.

The project would tie in with improvements to the public space around the harbourside.

That work is being planned as one of the regeneration projects in the £22million Town Deal package allocated to Torquay after a successful bid for Government funds.

In January, Debenhams was bought by online retail giant Boohoo in a £55m deal, which will see all 118 stores close.