Debenhams to reopen seven Yorkshire stores on June 15
DEBENHAMS HAS said it will reopen seven stores in Yorkshire on June 15 as coronavirus restrictions are eased.
The retailer will reopen in Leeds, Harrogate, Meadowhall, Sheffield, Scarborough, Wakefield and York Monks Cross, along with 43 other stores across England.
But Debenhams, which recently entered administration, said it would only reopen 120 stores after a series of closures, having entered lockdown with 142.
It said it would open three stores in Northern Ireland on Monday, with its two other sites in the region opening shortly after.
It will then reopen 50 stores in England on June 15, with the remaining stores following later in the week.
Debenhams said preparations for the reopenings were well under way with social-distancing and hygiene procedures implemented across all stores.
Meanwhile, its stores in Scotland and Wales will reopen once Government restrictions are eased, it said.
Steven Cook, managing director at Debenhams, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming customers back to our stores in the coming weeks.
“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 the vast majority of our stores will be reopening.”
Last month, Debenhams said it would cut hundreds of head office jobs as it looked to turn around profitability.
It said it was already struggling before the lockdown and fell into administration on April 9 in a protective measure against creditors demanding their money.
Since the coronavirus pandemic shut all non-food retailers, the majority of Debenhams employees in the UK are currently being paid under the Government furlough scheme.
It has continued to trade online across the UK, Ireland and Denmark and customer orders, gift cards and returns are being accepted and processed normally.
The department store has announced the permanent closure of at least 12 stores, with thousands of job losses.
Debenhams previously entered administration in April 2019 and delisted from the London Stock Exchange.