Hundreds of Debenhams jobs at risk in store and warehouse overhaul

Hundreds of Debenhams jobs are in jeopardy as the department chain revealed it is reviewing the future of 21 warehouses and stores.

At least 220 jobs could be impacted as Debenhams considers the long-term prospects of 11 storehouses and 10 shops.

New chief executive Sergio Bucher has outlined an overhaul which will also shut one of Debenhams' three distribution centres - run by DHL.

The DHL warehouse, which employs 220 staff, will close within 24 months, while several stores and in-house warehouses could also shut over the next five years.

Debenhams has said it hopes to redeploy many of the staff affected by both the distribution centre - in Lodge Farm, Northamptonshire - and warehouse closures.

Details of the plans emerged as Debenhams announced a 6.4% drop in pre-tax profits to £87.8 million for the six months to March 4.

Mr Bucher's turnaround will see the group cull in-house brands and leave some international markets, while also shifting around 2,000 staff to customer-facing roles.

Debenhams says it is responding to changes in consumer trends, which include spending less on clothes and more on eating out and holidays.

Mr Bucher said: "Our customers are changing the way they shop and we are changing too.

"Shopping with Debenhams should be effortless, reliable and fun, whichever channel our customers use.

"We will be a destination for 'social shopping' with mobile the unifying platform for interacting with our customers."