Debenhams will permanently close a further five of its department stores, all located in shopping centres owned by the property firm Hammerson, putting 1,000 jobs at risk. The news came as Hammerson's deal to sell its retail parks to the private equity firm Orion also collapsed. Debenhams fell into administration for the second time in a year last month, as it sought to protect itself from legal action by its creditors during the pandemic. The latest closures to be announced, which include its stores in the Oracle shopping centre in Reading and in Birmingham's Bullring, means that 16 of its UK outlets will remain shuttered when lockdown restrictions are eased. Last month Debenhams said the so-called "light touch" administration, being handled by insolvency practitioners at FRP Advisory, aimed to "get the business into a position to reopen and trade as many stores as possible again when restrictions are lifted".