Debenhams in Telford spared axe in first round of closures

The new owners of the department store chain have named 22 of the 50 shops they plan to close in an effort to revive the franchise.

Wolverhampton is one of the stores named in the first round of closures, which will affect 1,200 staff across the country.

The Wolverhampton store, in the city's Mander Centre, was only opened in October 2017.

Stores in Birmingham, Canterbury, Guildford, and Southport are also among those shutting.

Stores in Wrexham and Chester will not be closing in the first round.

Terry Duddy, the executive chairman of Debenhams, said: “The issues facing the UK high street are very well known.

"Debenhams has a clear strategy and a bright future but in order for the business to prosper, we need to restructure the group’s store portfolio and its balance sheet, which are not appropriate for today’s much-changed retail environment.

"Our priority is to save as many stores and as many jobs as we can, while making the business fit for the future.”

Debenhams currently employs 25,000 people, and was taken over by its lenders a fortnight ago.

Full list of Debenhams store closures:

• Altrincham

• Ashford

• Birmingham Fort

• Canterbury

• Chatham

• Eastbourne

• Folkestone

• Great Yarmouth

• Guildford

• Kirkcaldy

• Orpington

• Slough

• Southport

• Southsea

• Staines

• Stockton

• Walton

• Wandsworth

• Welwyn Garden City

• Wimbledon

• Witney

• Wolverhampton