Debenhams on the way here?

MHLC-12-03-13 Debenhams Site Mar56
Pictured,now empty former Focus site at the shopping park which could become a Debenhams store . — MHLC-12-03-13 Debenhams Site Mar56 Pictured,now empty former Focus site at the shopping park which could become a Debenhams store .

The brochures, which can be found on the completely retail.co.uk website, show the layout of the shopping park and state that Debenhams will be  opening this autumn at the empty unit formerly occupied by Focus DIY.

The Courier contacted The Crown Estate, which has a 50 per cent ownership of the site with the Hercules Unit Trust, for a comment but at the time of going to print the statutory corporation had not responded.

Parmider Birdi, chairman of the Leamington Chamber of Trade, said he believed the 40,000 sq ft unit would be used as a Debenham’s home store.

He said: “Any retail outside of the town, whether it is at the shopping park or on the Ford Foundry site, is a threat to the town centre.

“There is nothing that can be done about new shops opening at the shopping park because the permission for retail is already there.

“I could live with a Debenham’s home store there but the change of use from offices to retail at the Ford Site would be a huge threat.”

The former Focus unit has been empty for over a year.

In February 2012 Marks and Spencer scrapped plans to open a store there just a day after announcing them.