Debenhams reveal five more sites closing for good but still keep silent over Northampton

Debenhams has revealed five more stores which will not be re-opening after the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

Major sites in Leicester and Birmingham are among the latest five to close permanently, taking the total to 16 announced in the last month.

Bosses at the 242-year-old department store chain, which has been a name in the Drapery since 1973, revealed the future of six more stores is still up in the air and they are giving no hints about whether its Northampton branch will re-open.

Debenhams has struck deals with landlords to keep 120 of its 142 stores open after it fell into administration for the second time in a year.

The latest branches closing are in the Bullring in Birmingham and Highcross in Leicester, plus others in Reading, Croydon and Glasgow in the shopping centres owned by retail property giants Hammerson.

Debenhams said in a statement: "We can confirm that despite our best efforts, we have been unable to agree terms with Hammerson on our five stores in its shopping centres, and so they will not be reopening.

"We continue to engage in constructive talks with our landlords and have agreed terms on the vast majority of our stores, which we look forward to reopening when government restrictions allow."

Debenhams was rescued from collapse 12 months ago but appointed administrators again last month to protect the business from its creditors as Covid-19 forced it to shutter stores and place 22,000 UK staff on furlough.

It then accelerated negotiations with landlords to agree new terms and conditions has managed to strike deals on 120 stores.

But previous plans to close 50 sites are still in place following last April's rescue deal. The first batch of 22 closures took place in January, well before the Covid-19 crisis sent the country into lockdown.

Plans to close the remaining 28 stores are still on the table. Some of those may be on the list of 16 announced recently, leaving at least another 12 at risk.

The retailer is still trading online "normally" while its shops are closed.

Debenhams' name has been a feature of Northampton town centre since 1973 when it rebranded the former Adnitt Brothers store bought back in 1952.

Stores in Truro, Straford-upon-Avon, Salisbury, Warrington, Westfields in west London, Leamington Spa, South Shields, Southampton, Kidderminster, Swindon and Borehamwood have already been confirmed as closing permanently.