Debenhams preparing to return to Romania

British department store group Debenhams is said to be preparing for its return to the Romanian market, with the first store slated to open in

the city of Bucharest, according to local news agency Mediafax.

Debenhams' return to the country comes a little more than a year after the closure of its franchise stores. Last April, Octavian Radu closed the last two remaining stores from its franchised business, after facing financial difficulties due to low purchasing power in the country and heavy competition from other fashion retailers such as Zara and H&M.

Now the group intends to directly control its own stores in the country and is currently negotiating to lease space for its debut store in the Bucuresti mall, which was the former home of one of its franchised retail locations.