Chain’s closure ‘devastating’ blow for town
Reaction as Debenhams to shut up shop:
THE Debenhams store in Carmarthen is expected to close permanently after the brand was snapped up by a new owner.
Online fashion retailer Boohoo has confirmed it has bought the Debenhams brand for £55 million and will relaunch the department store as an online-only operation from next year.
Bosses said the deal, will not include saving Debenhams stores, which will close for good as part of a structured winding down of the business.
The massive blow means Carmarthen’s St Catherine’s Walk loses its anchor store, while Llanelli’s branch at Parc Trostre Retail Park will also wind down and close, along with Swansea’s Quandrant Shopping Centre store.
The writing on the wall came last month when it was announced Debenhams would go into liquidation after rescue talks collapsed, and it seemed likely that all 124 stores across the UK will close.
In Carmarthen, Debenhams was seen as the flagship of the shopping precinct when it opened in
April 2010.
It is also the largest shop unit within the town centre and questions are inevitably being asked about what will now take its place.
The manager at St Catherine’s Walk, John Nash, said: “We are all disappointed that a buyer could not be found for any of the Debenhams stores.
“It is very sad news for Debenhams’ store staff, including at St Catherine’s Walk where Debenhams has been much loved by its customers.
“Even though the news was not entirely unexpected, we will all miss Debenhams. Our landlord is considering various options and we are positive that there will be an exciting future for the space at St Catherine’s Walk.
“For now, our thoughts are with the Debenhams staff and we hope they are being well supported during this difficult time.”
At the heart of St Catherine’s Walk, the sprawling, Debenhams store made
Carmarthen the ‘go-to’ shopping area west of Swansea, one with the pulling power to draw thousands of people from Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion in the west and Llanelli to the east.
Reacting to the latest announcement, Carmarthen mayor and county councillor Gareth John said: “Debenhams closing all its stores and the 200year-old brand sold to an online-only retailer highlights the scale of the challenge that faces all town centres.
“Losing its main attracting store is devastating news, and with the large national stores disappearing from the high street there should be no doubt that Carmarthen’s role as a regional shopping venue is under real threat.
“There is a lot of work going on at all levels to secure and protect as much as possible in the immediate short term and thereafter relaunch and invest in reshaping for the future by building on our strengths.”
Cllr John added: “There is much debate and uncertainty at present and Carmarthen will certainly need to diversify and maximise its opportunities.
“Firmer details will gradually emerge over the next few months on the way forward.”
The new deal will see Debenhams products sold by Boohoo from early next year, allowing enough time for liquidators to continue closing the retailer’s sites once they are allowed to reopen after Covid-19 lockdown restrictions are lifted.
Boohoo executive chairman Mahmud Kamani said: “This is a transformational deal for the group, which allows us to capture the fantastic opportunity as e-commerce continues to grow.
“Our ambition is to create the UK’S largest marketplace. Our acquisition of the Debenhams brand is strategically significant as it represents a huge step which accelerates our ambition to be a leader, not just in fashion e-commerce, but in new categories.”
Debenhams’ own fashion brands will also be absorbed into Boohoo’s current portfolio and sold via the Debenhams website.