Final Debenhams stores to shut as chain’s 243-year history ends

The Debenhams store in Basingstoke, Hampshire, is to shut its doors for the final time on Saturday (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Debenhams is to shut its doors for the final time in its 243-year history.

The historic department store chain will close its remaining 28 stores across the UK for good on Saturday after the company collapsed amid the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

It closed 21 of its sites across the UK for the final time on Thursday.

The Debenhams store in Basingstoke is among stores to close on Saturday after clearing remaining stock (Andrew Matthews/PA)

The retailer has suffered slumping sales in recent years as shoppers moved away from traditional department store models.

However, the enforced closure of sites during the pandemic was the final straw, resulting in the company falling into administration within weeks of the virus fully hitting the UK.

The company then started its liquidation process at the start of this year after failing to secure a rescue sale.

Debenhams, which employed more than 20,000 people before the pandemic, sold its brand and website to online giant Boohoo for £55 million (€64m) in January but confirmed its bricks and mortar business would close for good.

Debenhams’ Oxford Street store was part of a limited number of its sites not to reopen after the latest lockdown (Yui Mok/PA)

It reopened sites from April 12 after the reopening of essential retail in order to clear stock across its stores.

Former Debenhams workers in Ireland have been calling for a greater redundancy settlement from the retail giant's joint liquidator, KPMG, and have been demonstrating since April 9 of last year.