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Debenhams

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Debenhams plc
Company typePublic limited company
IndustryRetailing
PredecessorDrapery Trust Edit this on Wikidata
Founded1778
SuccessorBurton Edit this on Wikidata
HeadquartersUnited Kingdom London,
England,
United Kingdom
Key people
Brandon Jones (Chairman)
Rob Templeman, (CEO)
ProductsClothing, cosmetics, housewares
Revenue£1,839.2 million (2008)
£176.1 million (2008)
£77.1 million (2008)
Number of employees
27,400 (2008)

Debenhams plc (LSE: DEB) is a major British retailer operating under a department store format in the UK and franchise stores in other countries. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

History

The business was formed in 1778 by Messrs Flint and Clark who began trading at 44 Wigmore Street in London as a drapers' store under the name Flint & Clark.[1] In 1813 William Debenham was made a partner so the name was changed to Clark and Debenham.[1] In 1818 the Company opened a second store in Cheltenham[1] and in 1851 Clement Freebody became a partner so the name was changed again, this time to Debenham & Freebody.[1] The business was incorporated as Debenhams Limited in 1905.[2]

The modern Debenhams group grew from the acquisition of department stores in towns and cities throughout the UK, under the leadership of its Chairman, Ernest Debenham. The first of these purchases, Marshall & Snelgrove at Oxford Street in London, was acquired in 1919.[1] Later purchases included Harvey Nichols in London's Knightsbridge in 1920.[1] Most stores acquired retained their former identities until a unified corporate image was rolled out across the stores. The Company was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1928.

In 1976 the Company acquired Browns of Chester - the only store that has retained its own identity.[1]

In 1985 the Company was acquired by the Burton group.[1] Debenhams was demerged in 1998 and was once again listed as a separate Company on the London Stock Exchange.[1] It expanded under the leadership of Belinda Earl who was appointed CEO in 2000.[3]

The Company was acquired again in late 2003 this time by a private consortium comprising CVC Capital Partners, Texas Pacific Group, Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity and management. The company returned to a listing on the London Stock Exchange in 2006.[4]

Operations

As of July 2008, the company had 147 stores (including 10 'Desire by Debenhams' stores)[5] covering 10.373 million square feet of retail space across the United Kingdom and Ireland.[6] It also has 40 franchise stores operating in other countries, including Malaysia and Indonesia.

The Company has introduced external branding into its menswear and ladieswear lines: these 'Designers at Debenhams' include Jasper Conran, John Richmond and John Rocha. 'Designers At Debenhams', an idea constructed by Spencer Hawken and Belinda Earle, was seen as a saving grace in hard times. [7][5] The Company also sells goods under a number of brand names that it owns in its own right.

In 2008 the Company was voted best UK department store by GMTV.[8]

United Kingdom United Kingdom

London

Wales

South East England

South West England

Central England

The exterior of the Debenhams in Telford Shopping Centre.

Yorkshire

North East England

North West England

Scotland

Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland

Unlike other international locations, all Ireland stores are directly operated by Debenhams plc under the company name Debenhams Ireland. The premises of the former Roches Stores are leased from the Roche family. The first Irish store opened in 1990 with the opening of Belfast store in the then new Castlecourt Shopping Centre, the first store in the Republic of Ireland opened in 1996 in the Jervis Shopping Centre, this closed in January 2008 following the acquisition of the Henry Street store which is a short walk away, the lease on the store being assigned to Arnotts. Ballymena store opened in 2007 and was the first Desire Store to open in Ireland. Debenhams in Northern Ireland is not operated by Debenhams Ireland, but operated in line with the rest of the company as part of Debenhams plc. The Republic of Ireland Stores whilst part of the same region and managed by the same people are reported separately as the Republic of Ireland company.[10] Other sites in Ireland are still being reviewed for potential opening as this is one of the major markets where Debenhams is underrepresented.


Northern Ireland Northern Ireland

International Stores

All department stores in international locations (except the Republic of Ireland) trade as 'Debenhams' name under franchise agreements. One of the franchisees 'Sogo' in Indonesia also buys Debenhams goods to sell in its own department stores (as well as operating full-line Debenhams franchise stores).

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Debenhams History
  2. ^ Retail Department Stores
  3. ^ Belinda Earl interview
  4. ^ Just what does Debenhams have to offer?
  5. ^ a b Debenhams: About us
  6. ^ Debenhams Interim Results page 3
  7. ^ Houndshill Shopping Centre
  8. ^ Catwalk Queen
  9. ^ The Press - Retailers vie for Best Sites in York
  10. ^ Roches stores
  11. ^ Debenhams 'to open first store in Iran'


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