Basingstoke's Debenhams is safe from being closed down, The Gazette can confirm.

As previously reported, the troubled high street chain announced it was set to cut a further 2,500 jobs last week after being hammered by a fall in sales.

Debenhams has 124 nationwide and employs around 14,000 people.

Its Festival Place branch however is safe from closure, a spokesman for the shopping centre confirmed.

A spokesman for Festival Place confirmed Debenhams is currently back open and has some "exciting plans" on the cards which will be shared with the public soon.

The news will come as a relief to shopping district which has seen a number of closures in the last year including Zara and Fabric Land.

Debenhams went into administration four months ago.