Eerie images show Debenhams branches standing still a year after legendary department store chain, Debenhams, closed all its High Street shops.

  • Urban explorers captured the inside of an abandoned Debenhams shop in an unidentified location.
  • Photographs of the cafe are shown, showing teapots waiting for customers who won’t return. 
  • Several broken mannequins and abandoned shop fittings  were left behind when the store was locked up 

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Urban explorers have shot inside the iconic British department store, which is now abandoned and empty.

Our team visited Debenhams in December. It still shows signs of its past glory.

The shelves are now empty, but they still have plenty of brand posters and broken mannequins.

A gang of urban explorers have accessed an abandoned Debenhams store after the shop closed down over the past two years

After the Debenhams shop had closed for two years, a group of urban explorers found a vacant Debenhams store.

The retailer was a firm high street favourite but high rents and the growth of online shopping condemned the business

This retailer had been a popular high street favorite, but the rents were high and online shopping has made it unviable.

Urban explorers regularly gain access to abandoned buildings to document their slow decline and photograph what can often be a snapshot of history

Photographers often photograph abandoned buildings that urban explorers have access to in order to capture their gradual decline. 

The store's restaurant looks like it has just been closed overnight awaiting staff to prepare the furniture for a busy day ahead

Restaurant looks closed over night, awaiting the staff to prepare furniture for the busy day ahead

All of the stock had been removed from the store however, many of the empty displays remain with other shop fittings

Although all stock was removed from the shop, some of the displays that were left behind are still available for purchase along with various other fittings.

In the once bustling café, teapots are still neatly lined up – but the last customers have long since gone after the retail chain started closing its high street stores in 2020.

An anonymous explorer stated that it was an eerie experience.

“It used to be a very busy place and my childhood memories are filled with the wonder of its size.

“Now, to see all of them sitting abandoned is sad. But it’s the reality for the future.

“There are three floors full of mannequins, products, and other items. Plus the power was always on. We could even use the elevators.

“The cafes still looked like they were open for business even though it was closing at noon.”

According to the explorer, “The entire experience was amazing and strange.”

“It was a strange feeling to be trapped in such an enormous building, complete with functioning escalators and lights. With all the mannequins around it made me feel as though someone was looking at us. However, we were only there for three hours before I noticed that nobody had noticed. 

Debenhams was founded in London in 1778 but was forced to close for good in May after the firm went into liquidation

Debenhams was established in London, in 1778. However, the firm was liquidated in May and Debenhams had to close its doors permanently. 

Analysts said the firm had been struggling for several years but was unable to survive the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown

Analysts stated that the company had struggled for many years, but could not withstand the Covid-19 lockdown and pandemic.

Debenhams had several other firms who held concessions within their stores who were forced to relocate to other locations

Debenhams also had concessions from other companies within its stores, which forced them to move to different locations.

The retailer had more than 100 stores. The exact location of this shop has not been revealed by the urban explorers

This retailer owned more than 100 shops. Urban explorers have not yet located the exact address of this store. 

Tea pots and glasses have been laid out for customers that will never return to the store since its final closure

Customers who will not return to the shop since closing have tea pots and glasses. 

Thousands of people lost their jobs when the popular high street retailer closed for the last time in May

When the high-street retailer shut down in May, thousands of workers lost their jobs. 

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