DEBENHAMS has announced 320 jobs will be lost as it permanently closes six more stores - including the Weymouth branch.

The department store chain announced today stores in Weymouth, Portsmouth, Staines, Harrogate and Worcester will not reopen.

Its flagship store on Oxford Street has also been closed permanently.

It is unclear how many jobs will be lost from the Weymouth store, which has been on New Bond Street since 1999.

Geoff Rowley, joint administrator to Debenhams and partner at FRP, said: "We continue to engage with interested parties over alternative proposals for the future of Debenhams, but inevitably the latest lockdown has had an effect on our plans for the wind-down of the business.

"We regret the impact on those colleagues affected by today’s announcement and would like to thank all those who continue to keep the business trading in very difficult circumstances."

As previously reported, the prominent town centre building may be replaced by The Range.