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Coronavirus: Debenhams issues plea to save shops in Wales
Jun 4, 2020
Debenhams has written to the Welsh Government asking it to take urgent action to save four of its stores and "many hundreds of jobs".
The retail giant collapsed into administration for the second time in a year in April after coronavirus ramped up the pressures facing the business.
Deals with landlords mean 120 UK stores will reopen when lockdown eases.
The firm wants Welsh ministers to review rates. Officials said they would respond to the request "in due course".
Debenhams has continued to trade online since entering administration again on 9 April.
It then used another insolvency process called a company voluntary arrangement to obtain rent cuts and allow it to close shops.
The company warned at the end of April that four of its Welsh stores - Newport, Cardiff, Swansea and Llandudno - were in jeopardy because of the Welsh Government's decision not to extend business rate relief to properties with a rateable value of more than £500,000.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption The department store has a presence across south and north Wales
Since then, Debenhams has struck deals with local councils to defer payment of the rates for those stores until March 2021.
These stores are due to reopen when the Welsh Government lifts restrictions on non-essential retailers, but the long-term future remains uncertain.
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