Debenhams steps up refit programme

UK department store chain Debenhams today said it expects to create 600 jobs as part of plans to refit 20 outlets in its next financial year.

Details of the investment programme emerged as Debenhams said it continued to make progress despite “significant headwinds” in the retail sector.

Debenhams said it was particularly pleased with trends over the past two months as strong sales of cosmetics and fragrances and rapidly increasing online trade drove like-for-like sales excluding VAT up by 1.5% since February.

The retailer, which has 169 stores in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, is currently working on six stores refits, in addition to the five already completed this year in Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, Romford and Merryhill.

It said today it expected to refit another 20 outlets in the financial year starting at the end of August, including shops at Bournemouth, Reading, Hull, Harrogate and Preston.