Debenhams sat at the heart of many high streets for decades – and today, its former Liverpool site is reopening as a completely new business.
Following the closure of the former Liverpool ONE Debenhams store, the shopping complex’s co-owner Grosvenor won planning permission from Liverpool Council to develop an indoor electric go-kart circuit and leisure facilities in the upper levels last February. Earlier this month, monster entertainment facility Gravity MAX officially opened its doors, boasting everything from live music, sports screenings, go-karting, mini golf, food and drink and more.
And today, a brand new M&S unit, complete with a beauty area, clothing department and home section, is opening to the public. The site is set to attract thousands of customers over the coming weeks – but with such a transformation, some may be left reminiscing about the days of Debenhams.
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The retail giant started as a single store in London when William Clark opened a drapers store at 44 Wigmore Street in central London, selling expensive fabrics, bonnets, gloves and parasols. Mr Clark continued to run the single store until he formed a partnership with William Debenham in 1813, pumping funds into the business which then became Clark & Debenham, the ECHO previously reported.
Five years later it opened its first store outside the capital, in Cheltenham and when Clement Freebody invested in the firm in 1851, it was renamed Debenham & Freebody. Acquisitions continued into the next century and in 1905, Debenhams Ltd was formed.
By 1950, Debenhams was the largest department store group in the UK, owning 84 companies and 110 stores. From 1985 to 1998, Debenhams was part of the Burton Group, which saw the business repositioned with the introduction of exclusive merchandise such Designers at Debenhams, which was launched in 1993.
By 1997, the first international franchise store opened in Bahrain and Debenhams was listed on the London Stock Exchange until 2003, when it was acquired by Baroness Retail. Despite having a portfolio of expensive rental agreements, the company continued to grow, acquiring nine stores from Roches in the Republic of Ireland in 2007 and Magasin du Nord, the leading department store chain in Denmark, two years after.
But it was in 2008 that Debenhams in Liverpool ONE opened its doors on the corner of South John Street and Lord Street as one of the retailer's flagships stores. Coming to Liverpool for the first time, the store contributed to the changing landscape of Liverpool’s city centre.
Back in April 2004, the ECHO reported how the Duke of Westminster's £700m project to revitalise that major part of Liverpool city centre was already oversubscribed, months before work got under way. It did not include the John Lewis Partnership and Debenhams who had already signed up for anchor stores of 240,000 sq ft and 180,000 sq ft respectively.
On May 26, 2008, the ECHO reported how the new Debenhams store was set to open its doors the following day and how it looked to be "just what Liverpool needs." At the time, deputy store manager David Slater said: "We’re very proud of what’s been achieved here.
"Now we’re really looking forward to welcoming our first customers and hearing their feedback." The arrival of Debenhams meant that shoppers who once had to trail to Manchester or the Trafford Centre needed only walk up Lord Street for a fashion fix.
Bringing with it a raft of new fashion and beauty names into the city for the first time, shoppers could buy designs from John Rocha, Ben de Lisi, Jasper Conran and Julien Macdonald, as well as St George by Duffer, Maine, Mantaray, Thomas Nash and Red Herring. In the make-up department, there was a whole host of names including Urban Decay, Too Faced and, for the first time outside London, bareMinerals.
Earlier this month, the ECHO delved into the archives to find photos of Debenhams in Liverpool ONE when it opened in 2008. From first looks inside the different departments to staff, products on offer, opening day and the first few customers, they left readers reminiscing.
What are your memories of Liverpool ONE's Debenhams store? Let us know in the comments section below.
But, in recent years, Debenhams, like many other high street brands, faced decline and impact from new shopping habits. In 2014, after a decline in company profits, retail tycoon Mike Ashley bought 4.6% of the company's shares and steadily increased his ownership of the department store business, expanding it to 29.7% by 2018, the ECHO previously reported.
The business felt the full effect of difficult high street conditions and sky-high rents, resulting in a £491m pre-tax loss in 2018 and by April 2019, the retail giant entered administration and delisted from the stock market. Disappearing for good from our high streets after the pandemic, the brand still exists online – but many miss the days of shopping trips to the city centre which weren't complete without a visit to Debenhams.
By June 2023, new details were revealed about the new £10m entertainment venue coming to Liverpool ONE. So far this month, we've seen, monster entertainment facility Gravity MAX officially opened its doors.
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Boasting everything from live music, sports screenings, go-karting, mini golf, food and drink and more, Liverpool's biggest rooftop bar is also set to arrives in September. The venue will be a massive addition to the recently launched Gravity MAX and will be located on the top floor, with the bar being strictly reserved for adults.
And today, a brand new M&S unit, complete with a beauty area, clothing department and home section, is opening to the public. Spread across two floors and 70,000 sqft, shoppers can take it easy at the café or a dedicated coffee-to-go section, peruse the in-store bakery and food-to-go aisle, or check out the extensive fresh fruit and vegetable selection.
M&S will be leaving its current location in Church Street's Compton House which it has called home since 1928. In recent months, the retail giant put QR codes at the self-service tills of its Church Street store which shoppers can scan to find out more about its new store.
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