ANY hope of saving Bournemouth’s landmark Debenhams store has been dashed by the announcement that the famous name was being sold to online rival Boohoo.

Debenhams was wound up yesterday by a judge who described it as a “rudderless ship”, hours after the sale of the brand was announced.

Boohoo bought the Debenhams brand name and website from administrators but said the 118 remaining stores would all close – spelling the end for most of their 12,000 jobs.

Debenhams’ shop in Bournemouth’s Square has been an institution since 1915, when it opened as Bobby & Co.

Town centre councillor Mike Greene said: “I think we all knew this was almost certainly going to happen as soon as Debenhams announced they were closing down.

“The Bournemouth Square store is a fabulous building in a fantastic location so I am sure there will be a lot of businesses interested in it,” he added.

Boohoo will sell Debenhams products from early next year – allowing the stores a winding-down period after the current coronavirus lockdown ends.

Judge Daniel Schaffer made a winding-up order against Debenhams at an online hearing in the Insolvency and Companies Court yesterday.

The judge said the Official Receiver now should assess the position.

He had been asked to consider Debenhams’ position by lawyers representing a shareholder and debtors.

The judge said he was making a winding-up order of his own motion.

“The company is a rudderless ship drifting in an ocean of insolvency, unable to be rescued,” he said.

“It is time for the court to bring this ship into port, so the harbour master, here the Official Receiver, can assess the position.”

Debenhams – which went into administration last April – had already announced significant job losses and the permanent closure of six stores, including its Weymouth and Portsmouth branches and its flagship outlet on London’s Oxford Street.

Boohoo said its acquisition of the brand represented a “fantastic opportunity” to target new customers and launch into the beauty, sports and homewares market for the first time.

The large Bournemouth Square store was known as Bobby & Co for generations, but became part of the Debenhams group and took the nationally known name in 1972.

The Bobby & Co stores later became part of the Debenhams group and the Bournemouth store was rebranded in 1972.

The building’s current owners have applied to refurbish the store and add terraced seating, balconies, a rooftop bar and tea lounge. They suggest bringing back the Bobby & Co name.

The owners’ planning agent has said the refurbished building could become a focal point in the night and daytime.

But Dorset Police has lodged an objection to the plan, citing a lack of detail and concerns about the problems that could be caused by alcohol being served on the site at night.