High Street carnage

The COVID Diaries – 275 25th January

On line retailer Boohoo has bought the website and on-line operations of Debenhams together with its fashion labels including Maine and Principles. However, all its department stores will close and it will disappear from the High Street.

A similar fate seems to await TopShop, TopMan and Miss Selfridge following the collapse of Sir Phillip Green’s Arcadia group. Online fashion retailer Asos is now in exclusive negotiations to buy the brands but is unlikely to want the stores.

On a day of carnage for the High Street, it was also announced that the historic Jenners Department store in Edinburgh will close.