Debenhams to shutter 19 stores in January

Debenhams is to close 19 stores in January as the company fights for survival after it went into administration last April.

Between 11 and 25 January, 19 locations, including Wandsworth and Wimbledon in London, will be shuttered. A further 28 stores are due to be in 2021.

Debenhams chief executive Stefaan Vansteenkiste said in a statement: “We are working hard to implement the transformation of Debenhams. Despite a challenging retail environment, thanks to our colleagues’ hard work and our investor group’s commitment we are progressing with our turnaround.”

The new decade has started on a sober note for the retail industry, as the Centre for Retail Research forecasts 17,565 store closures this year, an increase of 9.3 percent over 2019.

Image: courtesy of Debenhams