It has been the iconic centrepiece since Festival Place first opened in 2002.

But on Saturday, the flagship Debenhams branch in Basingstoke will be closing its doors forever.

The brand reopened last month for a final closing down sale, seeing stock sold off at rock-bottom prices.

Shoppers have been travelling as far as Southampton to make the most of the deals.

When The Gazette visited last week, the vast majority of stock had gone leaving the once-filled aisles bare and empty.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of the store's closure on Saturday.  

Why is Basingstoke Debenhams closing?

The brand has been having a tough time for the last couple of years but its time was up last year when a rescue deal fell through.

Debenhams had been struggling for years to keep up with online competitors and finally went into liquidisation late last year.

In January, Debenhams was bought by online fashion giant Boohoo in a £55million deal. But the fast-fashion site was only interested in Debenham’s brand name and website – and made the decision not to keep its stores open.

Speaking at the time, the chief executive of Boohoo, John Lyttle said: “The acquisition of the Debenhams brand is an important development for the growth as we seek to capture incremental growth opportunities arising from the accelerating shift to online retail.”

He described it as an “exciting strategic opportunity”.

The 10,000 to 12,000 staff at Debenhams who are losing their jobs might have a different opinion on this “exciting opportunity”.

Why have some Debenhams stores reopened?

Debenhams temporarily reopened its stores in England and Wales when lockdown eased in April for a final closing down sale.

The majority of its stores closed last Saturday (May 8) with further stores including Basingstoke’s set to close this weekend on Saturday, May 15.

What stock is left at Debenhams in Basingstoke?

When The Gazette last visited, there was a mixture of nightwear, women’s clothing, lingerie, kitchenware and make-up available.

What discounts can I find at Debenhams?

Some stock is being sold off up at up to 70 per cent off the original marked up price. One customer managed to get a £45 dress for £9.

What is going to replace Basingstoke Debenhams?

The Gazette has been asking this question for the last four months. Currently, we understand that Festival Place is exploring options.

Our readers have suggested a number of ideas they would like to see fill the large space – from an upmarket food court to an activity centre.

We will update our readers as soon as we know.