General Chat

We had two that I used.

One in the Metro Centre - will leave a huge gap. The other in Newcastle will also leave a gaping hole.

There was no Debenhams in Durham or its small suburban centres but the demise of Arcadia will leave gaps there too - all within walking distance of my home.

When I worked we used to get superannuation forecasts at our annual meetings with the people charged with our investments. We were always given three figures - one when the markets would be favourable, the lowest figure if they were unfavourable and a middle figure. We could also choose where much of our pension cash would be invested.

I hit lucky as I chose a good percentage investment in Asian up-and-coming markets but as I always used the lower figure to calculate my retirement pension I got a nice surprise when I actually retired as it was higher. Even so, I still liken my pension to that of a church mouse.

A colleague stuck mainly to UK and European investments and always used the upper figure as a guesstimate so was really upset when she got the lower figure.

The fact that P Green was said to be worth 930 million means he could afford to pay the sum of 350 m to the pension fund of his employees but will he be likely to state that everything is in his wife's name? He has used that ploy before, I believe.

I was watching local tv. I think it was in Portsmouth when a young women said she was shocked to see Debenhams shut. Then she admitted she had never gone in. Says it all.

To me, joe public it amounts to criminal goings on, employees without a job and possibly no pension while he is out on is yacht not giving a flying fig about the people that got him there.

It's Maxwell all over again.

Maggie,
That is the real long term sadness of the closures.
All those years of contributions for what?

It will initially affect Topshop, Topman, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Miss Selfridge, Evans, Burton and Outfit. The 'knock on' effect means Debenhams will likely close, as they have outlets of these shops within their stores.

It looks like the employees are going to lose their pensions, too :-|

It is sad, Ann.

Several have closed already in our nearest towns.

I like browsing the different brands within the clothing areas.

The main store in many town centres. So sad to see them go.The Gloucester store is huge. A space that will never be filled.