DEBENHAMS in Bury will be among those listed to be reopened by the chain on June 15.

Their store at The Rock has been mothballed as part of the high street shutdown since late March.

Earlier this year council bosses were reassured that the Bury outlet would survive major upheaval caused by the chain going into administration.

Senior figures insisted their presence was a key driver for Bury's high street.

Department store bosses have said they will reopen 50 of their stores in England on June 15 as coronavirus restrictions are eased.

But the retailer, which recently entered administration, said it will only reopen 120 stores after a series of closures, having entered the lockdown with 142 stores.

It said it will open three stores in Northern Ireland on June 8, with its two other sites in the region opening shortly after.

And it confirmed it will then reopen 50 stores in England on June 15, with the remaining stores following later in the week.

Company chiefs say preparations for the reopenings are "well under way", with strict social distancing and hygiene procedures being implemented across all stores.

Steven Cook, managing director at Debenhams, said: "We are delighted to be welcoming customers back to our stores in the coming weeks.

"From the installation of Perspex screens at till points to the roll-out of social distancing procedures and PPE, we have been working hard to ensure our colleagues and customers can work and shop with confidence.

"Our reopening plans follow the successful conclusion of lease negotiations on 120 stores, meaning that the vast majority of our stores will be reopening."

Last month, Debenhams said it will cut hundreds of head office jobs as it looks to drive a turnaround in profitability.

The firm was already struggling before the lockdown and fell into administration on April 9 in a protective measure against creditors demanding their money.

Since the coronavirus pandemic shut all non-food retailers, the department store has announced the permanent closure of at least 12 stores, with thousands of job losses.