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Published
Jan 20, 2016
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Debenhams to anchor intu Watford extension

Published
Jan 20, 2016

Debenhams, the UK department store retailer, is to be the anchor store for the 400,000 sqft. extension of the intu Watford shopping centre.


The new Debenhams store will measure 113,000 sqft. When the extension to the existing shopping centre, which was begun in late 2015, is complete, it will create a 1.4m sqft. retail and leisure destination. The new extension will have up to 16 shops, as well as 10 restaurants and a nine-screen IMAX cinema, and the existing centre will get a full mall upgrade.

Rebecca Ryman, regional director of intu, said: “With John Lewis and Marks & Spencer already anchoring intu Watford, we wanted to add an additional anchor as part of our development plans that would complement our existing and future retail mix. Bringing Debenhams to Watford creates more choice and appeal for our customers, meaning all our retailers can flourish.” 

CACI has estimated Watford will be promoted to the top 20 of its national retail destination ranking, alongside Edinburgh and Bristol, when the extension is completed.

Rob Hadfield, property director of Debenhams, said: “Watford has been a longtime target location for us. With consistently high levels of customer requests for a new store there, the town was in our top 5 list of planned sites. The extension to intu Watford is a great setting for a new Debenhams department store. The existing footfall at the centre is really strong and the affluent catchment is perfect for our exclusive Designers at Debenhams portfolio of brands.”

Debenhams had a successful Christmas trading period, with sales beating analyst expectations. This was especially impressive in a period when British retail spending as a whole recorded its weakest quarterly growth in more than a year. The department store retailer also recently named Sir Ian Cheshire as non-executive director and Chairman-elect.
 

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