Debenhams in Dundee could be gone for good after talks to save the store broke down at the 11th hour.
And business chiefs have warned the Overgate shop could be the last of a dying breed with fears over another empty unit in the city centre.
Meanwhile, there are fears Topshop, which is also in the shopping centre, could follow suit.
It comes after parent company Arcadia, which owns a number of concession shops in Debenhams, plunged into administration – placing 13,000 jobs at risk across the UK.
There had been hopes the high street giant could be saved by JD Sports, however, the talks broke down, seemingly bringing an end to 242 years of trading.
Alison Henderson, chief executive of Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce, said it was hard to see how the high street could recover from the closure.
She said: “I often try and see a positive in these stories but unfortunately I just don’t see it here, this is going to be huge blow not just for Dundee but for cities across the UK.
“A place like Debenhams creates such big footfall that it everyone else benefits, so for the Overgate and city to lose that really is a huge loss.
“Also it’s a big employer and a lot of jobs will go when it closes – I’m very sorry for all the people who have lost their jobs, it’s been a difficult year and it’s also the worst time for this to happen.
“You often hear how important it is to shop in small, independent shops, but the reality is these big stores also have a network stretching across the country and they use local suppliers and wholesalers so it will have a big impact.
“We have seen lots of shops like that close in Dundee and elsewhere as chains struggle to sustain themselves, so it’s really difficult to see how another massive business like this adapts.”
News is ‘devastating’ for Overgate – and city in general
Meanwhile, shoppers said it would be
However, they said they felt it was inevitable in light of changing shopper behaviour and, more recently, the short-term impact of the pandemic.
Gordon Foster said: “If Debenhams and Topshop both go you are surely talking about way over 100 people potentially losing their livelihoods.
“Given the size of both those venues in the Overgate – particularly Debenhams, it would be hard to fill or replace a business of that size.
Margaret Sutherland, 75, from Fintry said the high street shopping experience she remembered 20 years ago was gone.
She added: “It’s a bad time at the moment and I reckon things like Covid-19 have got to have played a factor in people’s shopping habits.
“I think there are still people who are scared of the ongoing situation with Covid, the atmosphere isn’t the same at the moment in the town either.
“It’s so sad to think of what the high street used to be, even in recent times I’m thinking about the Disney store on the Murraygate and the big Tesco both now shut.
“If those two units go I think they’ll struggle to replace them, unless they divided them up, even at that you see the amount of empty units in the Wellgate now – it’s such a shame.”
Megan Scott, also from Fintry, said: “There are a lot of scared people out there, when we went into lockdown people only had online shopping at their disposal.
“Some of the high street shoppers may not have returned given the current shopping experience which has probably been a bitter blow in an already challenging period.
“Given the current job market, people on furlough and people losing jobs it is very concerning that these staff members could be out of work, especially at this time of year.
Angus Moyse, 67, said he wasn’t surprised by the announcement.
He added: “The shopping experience has changed drastically especially for the young ones now they’d rather shop online.
“Even by next Christmas I can’t see the retail experience looking much rosier.
“One thing I have been pleased to see is a rise in independent traders, its almost like in a way we are going full-circle to the way it used to be.”
Tom Williams, a senior manager at the Overgate, said the centre would continue to work with the administrators.
He added: “We are disappointed that talks between JD Sports and Debenhams have ended.
“We will continue to work with the administrator and hope that an alternative buyer is found for a core portfolio of stores which we believe based on performance would be likely to include the Overgate store.”
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