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The retailer based at Fishergate Shopping Centre has been running knockdown price sales for the last month in anticipation for the closure, after the company went into administration last year.

The retailer has confirmed that the Preston branch, one of the largest shops in the city, will shut its doors permanently on Wednesday, May 12.

Shoppers were seen taking advantage of the knock down prices with vast amounts of the stock at the store already gone during the sales.

It's the final weekend of sales before the store closes

It brings to an end Debenhams’ 242 years of trading on the British high street but it will still have a presence online. Debenhams has occupied the three-storey site in the Fishergate Centre since the mid-1980s

A spokesman for Debenhams said: “Over the next week, Debenhams will close its doors on the high street for the final time in its 242 year history.

“Our sincere thanks go out to all of our colleagues and customers who have joined us on this journey.

“We hope to see you all one last time in stores before we say a final goodbye to the UK high street.”

The Debenhams store in Preston is closing down on Wednesday

The Debenhams stores at Blackpool’s Houndshill Shopping Centre and Wigan’s Grand Arcade both closed on Saturday, while the Blackburn branch will close the same day as the Preston branch.

Dr Robin Carey, head of School of Business at UCLan, said the Prestonstore is unlikely to be filled by one retailer, and will likely be broken down into smaller unit.

However Blackpool Council announced it is in negotiations with a retailer to take over it’s seaside store at the council run shopping centre.

In April 2020, a month into the Covid lockdown, Debenhams called in administrators and started to close down stores across the UK.

The store opened in Preston in the mid-1980s

Retailer JD Sports was understood to be in pole position to buy the beleaguered retailer but in December, the sportswear firm pulled out due its parent company, Arcadia, going into administration.

Online clothing giant Boohoo then acquired Debenhams and its associated brands for £55 million but agreed to only buy its website.

This means 12,000 jobs will be lost nationally as bricks and mortar Debenhams stores are shutting for good.

Final weekend for Debenhams in Preston ahead of its closure