Exploring Chester's Abandoned Debenhams: Found Lost 1780s Details
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ธ.ค. 2023
- In today's video, we explore the abandoned Debenhams department store in Chester that was closed when the company was liquidated in 2021. As the building was formerly Browns constructed in the 1780s, it contains some incredible, rare architecture as well as untouched modern areas.
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I’ve lived in Chester all my life and walked up those stairs so many times and just took it for granted. Never appreciated just how beautiful the building was.
Same
It's unfortunate that high streets aren't what they used to be, but at least they've captured this beautiful building. I frequently travel to Chester quite often once every 2 weeks, shame this is gone!
Part of my childhood
Worked there as maintenace for a couple of years. Really was / is a building with character. Used to challenge ourselves to walk through the mannikin corridors alone on night shifts :)
The long corridor stock room Kev, when the old bride dresses were hanging in there….walking through there on nights was a challenge too!
I remember only too well, when in the 70s it was Browns of Chester, and being dragged around the women's departments as a small child by my mother on her fortnightly shopping sprees. The thing i remember the most was that the women's departments all seemed to have the creakiest floors of any shop I'd been on or have been on since!!!! I wonder if anyone else remembers the creaking floor???!!!
I also remember being dragged around Browns of Chester when I was a nipper in the late 70’s & 80’s with its creaking floorboards and its plush carpets.
Thankfully, it wasn't too creaky when we visited!
yes!!
Posh sounding floors lol
I loved walking round Browns of Chester. ❤❤
I pass this every day, and went inside when it was open, so eery to see it empty and forgotten!
Shopped in Chester all my life, Browns of Chester was such a special place, so many memories. So sad to see it like this.
I think that you're right in thinking that this place is just too nice to leave abandoned. Nice job guys!
I worked in this beautiful store in the 70s it was and is very special
Those days they sold the best money could buy
It’s a place that is in the hearts of the people of Cheshire and a real blow to the city when it closed
It’s tragic to see it empty if I had the money I would buy it and make it the destination it was for the city and tourism it should be 🥹
Wow. I shopped there last few days of shutting down in the sales. Got some bargains. Its such a shame its a beautiful building
I used to work in Debenhams in a different part of the UK. It's still so sad seeing the empty buildings with the Debenhams fixtures and fittings left behind!
I live in Chester and visited this store countless times. My grandparents bought a funky green lounge suite from here in 1984 when it was Browns Of Chester. Amazing video guys - very sad and also fascinating. Thank you
No problem
I worked in the Debenhams in Guildford during my late teens. There was almost as much shop that the customers didn't see as actual shop. Loads of rat-runs and service lifts, shortcut corridors etc. There was a counting office that was as locked down as any bank. Huge receipt/dispatch area downstairs. They were a great employer and gave staff mad benefits (like a lot of the old school department stores). I haven't worked in retail since then but it was sad to see Debenhams hit the wall. It was kind of a great British establishment.
Worked there when it was Browns of Chester on a visit in the early 1980’s met the manager in a really nice wooden paneled office towards the top of the building. Sad to see how retail has died in the UK.
Spent a lot of time there with my late wife. Lots of good memories. Great camera work. The building extends from Eastgate Street through to the precinct. Also another entrance opposite Boodles (ladies shoes). (They opened another store in Ellesmere Port which used to be a travel agent. The site is known as The Coliseum. All bright and shiny) Backto Chester. The cafe was on the top floor, with the hairdressing salon and conveniences. The perfume counters were on the ground floor. As stated there was The Crypt below ground level accessed from Eastgate Street. Mens clothing and luggage as I recall. Could go on for a while but won't bore your viewers, except to say that I read fairly recently that it had been purchased for redevelopment can't remember who by. Thanks guys for the memories. Regards from Chester.
It is a big shame that this place has an empty department store. There are many like that in the UK awaiting a new purpose and a new life. It is a big shame they shut. Could have been avoided but Debenhams declined was caused by bad management, finance firms and not remaining relevant and expanding when online was becoming a threat.
Brings back a lot of memories seeing inside there again. The very start, up in the cafe, I used to regularly visit Chester with my mum, and we’d have a coffee and cake there sat in those windows. Lovely vid, thank you for sharing.
22:02 "This one wants a hug!" to me perfectly sums up the joy and wit you lot bring to all your fascinating videos.
What a place. Calling it the Harrods of the north is an insult to it, it's got much more going for it, even when empty. Class always shines through.
Hi, great video guys. I videoed the building before it closed. They are all on TH-cam. I talk about the history too. I can't believe you missed the attic rooms and the crypt! Love to know how you got back in :)
I will take a look, would be interesting to compare. We felt quite pressured with the amount of sensors we had gone infront of, which is why we missed some bits!
She was a Debenham's employee no problem with access or time.
My guess Maria, would be the roof access door by the goods lift on 3rd in the old canteen (right next to the bins for the restaurant). All you’d have to do is sneeze and that door would have blown in, it was that weak!
I was hoping to have seen the bay, and what state we left that in 😂
@@adamthompson6849 Good guess. The bay was pretty tidy. For once 😁It was sad to see the water damage already. Wouldn't have happened if you and Kev were looking after the place!
I spent many happy Saturdays browsing Browns long ago in the 1970s with my schoolmates. So sad ! Thanks for this.
Great find guys. Such a pity that it will never be occupied by a department store again. Best case scenario would be lots of little shops. I hope it's kept safe from vandals & fire raisers!
What a wonderful explore lads, and as for the floor with the glass lantern ceiling and the dome, it was just amazing. Loved the two little skits you done especially the one for the next addition of the magazine, which had me laughing my side off as I knew you three were up to something, but I didn't see that one coming! (By the way, everyone should order a copy, as the last two editions were great). Thanks as always.
Thank you for all your support Fraser! ❤️
@@Urbandoned Your more than welcome 🙂
Loved the intro 😂 Fantastic explore as always! Wow what stunning architecture! 😳
it is so sad to see Debenhams that empty. Those shops were so beautiful and such a bliss to be - even when just looking around. So sad. Thank you for your videos. They are always so respectfull and aprreciating the beautyful architecture. Also very well done with the videos and the music - just love your vids. Thank you!
Long time lurker here, not something I expected to see today, I walk past this every day! Amazing to see the inside!
No problem, glad the channel finally paid off for you :)
Some fantastic features there and lovely chandeliers etc
Brilliant explore guys! Thanks for sharing it.
Only been to,Chester once don't think I went there. Our Swindon store was an eyesore but I still miss going to the resturaunt. All our department stores gone now..BHS..house of Fraser..now m&s going.
Thank you for the tour of this beautiful place!!😊
Incredible video guys the building is amazing I really hope someone invests and it opens again soon
Superb frontage of that building. Great vid guys!!!!
Oh man I'd be flicking some breakers, getting some of those neon signs on if I were there with you 🤣
Wow what an amazing building and amazing explore as usual top work guys.
A quality explore lads. One of your best for sure.
WOW . stunning building
Hi a great video and I really enjoyed it so much. The shop looked stunning both the exterior and the interior architecture. Thankyou for making this awesome video.
Oh guys what a building can't believe all the tills and units are still there great video, 👌
What an Epic Architecture Let's Hope Someone Fills It's Empty Space. Absolutely Gorgeous With So Much History,Great Video Guys Loved it😊
Great content , as usual guys! Keep up the good work. It's such a shame this building is no longer used it has great potential and in fantastic condition. 👍👍
love the video! keep up the good work :)
I used to love going into Browns (Never called it Debenhams) always Browns, I can honestly say that I've never seen that huge sky-light window before amazing. The restaurant used to do a awesome Macaroni Cheese, that would always be my meal of choice with a serving of chips on the side. Where you could look up and see the shoppers along there used to be another cafe called "The Crypt" and you could see the medieval stone work, originally this would be were merchants would store there goods that had been brought up from the city port. But it's so sad to see it doing nothing now, when I can remember how busy it used to get especially at Christmas time, Like you said it really was like going into the Harrods of the North.
Another excellent video guys !!! All the best to you for christmas and new year 🏴🇬🇧
You too! Best wishes
I used to walk past this every day for work! Always wanted to go in! Such a stunning place ❤ I still often go past
Another wonderful video and presented so well I'm definitely ordering the new magazine as 1&2 were so awesome I really look forward to your new releases Have a great Christmas see you in the New Year
Thank you! Hope you enjoy the magazine :)
Very sad,what a beautiful building
Sad to see the fragrance/cosmetic areas so empty - I have walked through that area so many times through to the precinct over the years living in Chester it was always busy with people. I could weep 😢
Is it not a listed building? Such a shame to see it decay like that
So sad seeing this. Its similar also here in London with a few empty stores of Debenhams. In Croydon Allders flagship store has been left to decay
what a place, didn’t even look dusty! quite amusing that there was a brand there called urban decay! ❤
what a stunning building especially that main staircase.
I have worked in a number of department stores, and the workers only areas can sometimes take up more of the store than the actual retail space.
the room with the tills on the desks was probable a training room for new staff.
I really hope the original features of this building is preserved, and cherished, it would be a waste for it to be left to ruin.
The lights on the row level part of the store were on at midday. Totally untouched inside.
Browns was such a big part of Chester.
very cool.....
I came here from the Duke of Lancaster video! Another suggestion: Wear hi-viz and hard hats as you explore, no-one will bother you, it's by far the best way to become anonymous. Hiding in plain sight.
The scene with the showroom dummies feels like a dr. Who episode. Are you sure they didn’t move when you weren’t looking?😳
The Autons are back! And no shitty RDT anti-plastic deus ex...sorry got carried away....
I swear I heard something when I turned my back
It’s a shame you didn’t explore the cafe in the crypt which was part of Debenhams.
Also would like to see Debenhams Edinburgh? 🙏 Love your videos
great video and exploration, nice old building, the guy in hi viz could have been selling the big issue
Nice ladder @ 22:57!!!!!
Nice
I've been coming to this department store as browns of Chester was my local Debenhams such a shame to see this building sitting empty it was always packed full capacity with tourists looking for expensive presents
That would make for an awesome Wetherspoons.
What beautiful building would make lovley hotel with a pub inside❤
nice+
Love
Browns of Chester - prestige store in its day. Sad.
wow! this is shocking, see from 18:00 and 19:15 that buildings left like this unchecked will rapidly fall into decay!
Sorry guys posted my comment on the redevelopment of the site before I got to the end. Regards from Chester.
Nice shop but this looks like a dormant building rather than an abandoned one, a lot of stuff in good nick no damage just in storage.. could be re purposed as it is, a bit similar to what Willkos did recently, therefore this entry can be classed as trespassing. Would not encourage more ppl entering this building as some unsavoury people could do some real damage. So surprised you got in at all.
Trespassing 😳 I hope Debenhams didn’t mind
one in leicester not that beauiful wish it was mum missing it a lot
Seems like much longer than 3 years since it closed
How did you manage to get in mate?
18.13 thay will be leakage from the air-conditioning as it’s not been used in a long time unit will start to leck out in the end if just left for years
How did you get in there love to do a video in there 😮
How did you get in?
how did you manage to get into this place , love to visit myself.
Did you find out mate ?
1:04 being towed by the hell on earth team. Norton on the right, Alex on his left, and Lloydy steering the boat.
Up the hoe!
Did you see the ghost in the basement? There is a crypt where a Roman legion walk through
Amazing plush staff-only areas ... not like the a**e end of a Tesco or Morrie's
How is it not alarmed?
did you get in from the roof from the car park? i really wanna go and live just outside chester
You find a way?
@@Liam-xi3ss havent tried mate i bet its through the carpark though
@@joshfensome ahh I’m gonna try and get in soon, I went there the other day and didn’t see a carpark, where is it ?
@@Liam-xi3ss the big multistory round the back by off the wall
@@joshfensome ahh sound ill let you know 👍🏻
I’d really love for you to explore Debenhams in Glasgow,( absolutely massive store)though it’s attached to a shopping centre which my make it harder to get into.
we're working on it
How did they get in !
You find away?
The content starts at 3:20 btw
Reminds me of titanic
I live in Chester and it is such a shame for the place.
Id like to see it split up into small units to allow traders a chance to have place in the city centre..a bit like Afflecks Palace.
Great video btw and amazed it isn't sensors all over the place.
I've often thought an Afflecks Palace style use would fit the building so well and really add to Chester.
done this when it closed have done 70% of closed debenhams now
The world’s most prolific capper is back
Cant see it ever being used as one building it will probably be split up.for all the years it's been closed it feels like it will never be open again.what a sad loss for Chester.i remember going to the department shops just on the other side of the street.owen or selfridges I cant remember ,but it was a beautiful department store just on a smaller scale.odd counters scattered over the shop floor.
The other department store was called owen owen. It was a lovely store. Used to get my make up from there. Very sad both of these department stores have closed. I love Chester, a lovely CITY.
4.13...."We scoured the structure for an entrance"...You forgot to show us exactly where you got in.....
Locals know you would never break in here during daylight while the shops are open.
Just tell your viewers who exactly who LET you in?
Also if it was that easy to get in the place would have been trashed by now.
"You can fool some of the people some of the time,
You cannot fool all of the people all of the time."
No one said it was easy
Sign our culture is dying when architecture like this is abandoned for plastic.
Would make a good Spoons.
Knob Heads will be arriving soon now they Know About it!!
Soon The Government will take the building over and have it up to 5 star accommodation for the illegal invaders 🤬🤦🏼♂️🤯( sorry can’t comment anymore because it’s its before 9:00 pm )
GUYZ... technically u R commiting burglary and if caught u WILL go to court...not to mention showing all this ur just inviting people to actually go and rob the place !!!
Didn’t realise this, thanks for letting us know
Would love them to shut up or at least not use big words incorrectly
We struggle with big words
@@Urbandoned im saying you're really good but don't need to use complicated language