David Jones expected to fall into administration after failed 11th hour talks with biggest landlord

Future of 188-year-old department store hangs in balance after no agreement was struck with Westfield owner Scentre Group

David Jones is poised to fall into administration after 11th-hour talks between its private equity owner and primary landlord broke down, putting the future of the 188-year-old upmarket department store chain at risk.

The upheaval follows years of steep losses, weak consumer spending and a string of underperforming stores that left the heritage retailer defaulting on its rent.

Its main landlord, Scentre Group, which owns Westfield, said discussions with David Jones’s owner, Anchorage Capital Partners, had ended without an agreement.

“They have not paid rent since September and therefore are in breach,” Scentre’s chief executive, Elliott Rusanow, said in a statement on Wednesday.