Liverpool One development hit by High Court battle over department store's opening date

Department store company Debenhams has launched a legal battle over a store in the Liverpool One development, which has just opened.

Debenhams agreed to lease a department store but a dispute has arisen between it and Liverpool Paradise Street Development Area (PSDA) over the store’s opening date.

Debenhams argues that in a letter Liverpool PSDA gave the centre opening date as 31 March this year, and that it was entitled to damages of £125,000 a week if this date was not met.

Debenhams says it spent 12 months planning to open its store on 3 April, with a promotional event the day before.

Liverpool PSDA contends that in subsequent letters it gave opening dates as between 22 May and 5 June.