THE closure of Debenhams in Warrington is a huge blow for the town centre.
It held a flagship unit in Golden Square Shopping Centre and was a household name, not just in the town, but across the country.
The moment emotional staff bid farewell was captured on camera on Wednesday as the shutters closed for the final time.
Since then, speculation has turned to what sort of store residents would like to see replace it.
Among the names bandied around is well-respected department store chain John Lewis.
This drew a lot of support from Warrington Guardian readers on Facebook over the weekend following a letter sent to us by Jackie McDonough.
Staff at the Debenhams store in Golden Square Shopping Centre bid farewell
She said: “Best idea yet by attracting John Lewis.
“Make the town great again, that would be fantastic. These retail giants would put us on the map.”
We put these views to John Lewis and asked whether it was considering making the move to Warrington.
In response, a spokesman said: “It is very encouraging to hear that we would be welcomed by some of the community.
“But I am afraid we have no firm plans for new John Lewis shops at this time.”
Although not a definite 'no' in the future, it looks like readers' wishes for a John Lewis in Warrington will remain wishes for the time being.
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