Hundreds queue for Debenhams grand opening
Debehams opened its long-awaited store in Bath today, with hundreds of shoppers queuing to take a look inside the four-floor department store.
Fashion designer Jeff Banks, who produces exclusive lines for Debenhams, cut the ribbon with assistance from the Mayor of Bath, Councillor Shaun McGall.
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Senior store manager Robert Gough led a 10-second countdown to the ribbon-cutting at 10am while more than 500 shoppers looked on.
Mr Gough said: “I couldn’t be more proud to be born in Bath, to be store manager and now to be opening the store.
“It’s great that we’ve been able to bring new jobs to the city in these tough times.”
The store, which is the flagship shop at the £360 million SouthGate shopping development, has recruited more than 200 people.
It features a top-floor restaurant decorated with eye-catching prints of scenes of Bath.
Mr McGall said: “The store looks amazing. The SouthGate centre has been a fantastic boost to the economy in Bath, and Debenhams will ensure Bath remains a leading shopping destination.”
As well as cutting the ribbon at the store, Mr Banks unveiled his design for the Lions of Bath public art scheme.
Mr Banks invited three children from the crowd to help him take the covers off the lion sculpture.
“When I was asked to do one of these lions it was a real privilege and made me feel part of the city,” he declared, before taking the wraps off the floral-themed sculpture.
Among the children who helped him was nine-year-old Renee. She said: “It was a surprise to be asked to go up from the crowd but it was good.”
The Debenhams opening represents the final part of the staggered three-phase launch of SouthGate.
The shopping development’s general manager, Simon Pullen, said: “This represents the end of construction and is the final piece in the jigsaw.
“It’s a really proud moment for everyone associated with SouthGate.
“There are a lot of great shops in Bath, but a department store of this size and calibre is what the city needs.”
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by BB, Bath
Friday, September 03 2010, 2:00AM
“Pete, get a life!”
by Sean, Bath
Thursday, September 02 2010, 9:00PM
“"How sad and empty, or how materialistic, are people that they are desperate enough to queue to visit a department store? It's just a big shop, for goodness sake!
What shallow and superficial lives some people must lead !"
Not the greatest punctuation Pete”
by Sean, Bath
Thursday, September 02 2010, 8:59PM
“"How sad and empty, or how materialistic, are people that they are desperate enough to queue to visit a department store? It's just a big shop, for goodness sake!
What shallow and superficial lives some people must lead !"
Not the greatest punctuation Pete.”
by Karlie, Bath
Thursday, September 02 2010, 8:45PM
“I would question how sad one must be to sit and nit pick at other people's grammar, or perhaps at the fact that they are trying to put other people down about doing something they enjoy, like visiting what is perhaps one of their favourite department stores. How very sad I find this, and I hasten to add, how I do pity you for not having anything more going on in your life that you find the need to do this.
I on the other hand did queue to be one of the first to visit the store...in fact I was the first! I queued from 8am and met two lovely ladies in the queue who got there just after I did. Welcome to Bath Debenhams, it is great to finally be coming up to par with Bristol, we may not be quite there yet, but we are making progress! A lovely new store! Sadly if we had everyone's favourite shops in Bath, I'm sure there would be people still moaning, probably that there were too many shops in Bath then!!!!”
by Pete, Bath
Thursday, September 02 2010, 7:03PM
“"i visited the new debenhams store today with 2 of my daughters and 2 grandchildren while we were in ther the younger 1 needed a nappy change we found the toilets and clearly marked were mens ladies and disabled we had to wander around looking for the mother and baby room eventually finding it around a corner,it is labeled baby changing and family room,fine,but whoever desighned that room wants shooting,you open the door to be greeted by 2 toilets on the right and a changing unit on the left surely they could have been the opposite way with the toilets partioned off"
Pity they don't sell full stops and other forms of punctuation to help people write properly!”