Leeds Debenhams in Briggate and the White Rose prepare for final weekend as company closes its doors for good
The Debenhams stores in Leeds are to shut their doors for the final time in the company's 243-year history.
The historic department store chain will close its remaining 28 stores across the UK for good on Saturday after the company collapsed amid the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
It closed 21 of its sites across the UK for the final time on Thursday.
Leeds has two Debenhams store, one in Briggate and one in the White Rose Shopping centre.
They will reopen for one last time on Saturday, May 15 before cosing for good.
The retailer has suffered slumping sales in recent years as shoppers moved away from traditional department store models.
However, the enforced closure of sites during the pandemic was the final straw, resulting in the company falling into administration within weeks of the virus fully hitting the UK.
The company then started its liquidation process at the start of this year after failing to secure a rescue sale.
Debenhams, which employed more than 20,000 people before the pandemic, sold its brand and website to online giant Boohoo for £55 million in January but confirmed its bricks and mortar business would close for good.