A DEPARTMENT store labelled as the “biggest landmark” in Basildon has closed its doors for the final time, as worried shoppers fear its loss will kill the town.

Debenhams, which is the only department store in Basildon’s Eastgate Centre, bid farewell to loyal customers on Saturday as the last remaining outlets of the doomed retailer permanently shut.

It comes as the store in Southend’s Royals Shopping Centre closed on May 8.

Shopper Barbara Bettis said she will miss the chain, which first came to the town in 2005.

She said: “This was our biggest department store.

“It’s killing Basildon. It will never be the same without Debenhams.

“What are they going to replace it with? It’s really worrying.

“We’re all very sad. We always used to come in here for coffee it was our favourite shop.

“We haven’t got the choice in Basildon.”

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Online retailer Boohoo brought Debenhams for £55million in January but didn’t buy any of the stores - leading to the final 97 stores closing.

Many shoppers have been left concerned about what will fill the empty shop and the impact losing Debenhams will have on the town centre.

Bev Knight said the closure was the latest of many big names leaving the town.

She said: “It’s such a huge loss it’s been here years. It’s almost like losing an icon.

“People are going to be out of work and in this day and age it’s awful.

“Many of the big names are going.”

Joanne Crotty, 29, had her first job at Debenhams when she was just 16.

She spoke of her sadness at seeing the store close.

Joanne said: “I used to work here, it was my first job. It was a really good job. It’s so sad to see it going.”

Joanne was out shopping one last time at the store with her friend Trudie Todd, also 29.

Trudie added: “We’ve come here every week for the last nine years.”

David Hatt said the town centre was losing one of its “biggest landmarks”.

He said: “All of the main stores have been taken away. There’s not going to be much worth coming down to here in the town.

“It’s not good for the community.

“It’s one of the biggest landmarks in the town. It’s very sad.”

Edward Clarke, from Basildon, said shoppers are getting used to seeing empty shops as there are lots of them.

Barbara Harvey, who has shopped in the Basildon store for years said: “I’m really sad because it’s one of the biggest stores we’ve got here in the town.

“People won’t come here anymore which is sad because people like coming to Basildon to shop. It’s such a big store as well. What are they going to replace it with?”