Debenhams closure shock: Store's long history in Weymouth

This is devastating news for Weymouth, which enjoys a long history of Debenhams on its high street.

Here's some memories and photos of Weymouth's Debenhams stores.

VH Bennett in St Mary Street

It took over in the town on St Mary Street from popular department store V.H. Bennett, which in 1974 became Debenhams children's outfitters.

The department store giant took over Plummers stores in the south of England, including Weymouth's, and also had a furniture store in the town centre, which closed down in the 1980s, as you can see from our pictures here of shoppers snapping up bargains in the sale.

In 1999 Weymouth welcomed the opening of the new Debenhams store in the reconstructed New Bond Street. It was built upon Weymouth's Jubilee Hall, a theatre and cinema, which was constructed in 1887 and demolished in the 1980s.

Jubilee Hall, Weymouth

The outside works were still in progress, but permission was given for the store to be opened 6 months early to catch the Christmas trade. Several other big name shops followed, and a state of the art cinema was built for Cineworld.

The whole development was carried out around the carefully preserved White Hart Inn That was once the home of artist Sir James Thornhill, who painted the domed ceiling of St Paul's Cathedral, London,. On completion of the works in the summer of 2000, a time capsule was buried beneath a Millennium Stone.

The opening of Debenhams, Weymouth

Last year, as part of a plan to revive its fortunes, Debenhams decided to close 50 of its stores - the Weymouth store wasn't among them and it was hoped its future was secure.

Debenhams went into administration for the second time in April 2020.

Yesterday it was announced that talks with JD Sports over a rescue deal had ended. Debenhams will continue to seek a buyer while stores will remain open to sell off remaining stock. Closures are expected to start early in the new year.