Well, it looks as if the end has finally arrived. I feel pretty sad about that because I used to work for them in my youth. I was Saturday boy, general dogsbody and then moved onto the heady heights of the loading bay. I spent my weekends and holidays working hard, failing to chat up all the women and having a laugh. One summer they paid me to go down to Brighton to work on the loading bay stocking the brand new store. Three weeks full time, a ropey hotel room, a weekly £75 bonus and I felt like a king. The money I earned at Debenhams bought me my first sh*tty banger of a car, my beer, my cricket kit and helped me through university. I never had to rely on my parents for anything beyond the age of 16 because of Debenhams, and I learnt a lot about people and the world of work.

I know there won’t be many folks mourning its passing given what it became in more recent years, but I am today. Cheers Debenhams, I definitely owe you more than one.