Debenhams plc could be split up and sold to multiple buyers, it has been reported. It emerged at the weekend that contingency plans for liquidation were being drawn up for the department store - potentially threatening thousands of jobs. The chain's Bournemouth store, in the Square, has so far escaped several waves of branch closures at the once-mighty business.

Frasers Group plc (LSE:FRAS) has said it is looking at Debenhams on a "store by store basis". Next has taken over some former Debenhams sites and the Times reported that a Chinese consortium was interested in some stores. Debenhams has 124 stores and employs a reported 14,000 people.