Emotional scenes as Woolies closes

Thousands of staff were left facing an uncertain future as around 200 of the chain's 800-plus stores served their last customers. The remainder will shut in waves until January 5 unless a last-minute buyer is found.

The failed retailer's demise leaves 27,000 workers facing redundancy.

Female workers at the Portobello Road branch in Notting Hill, West London, were seen in a tearful embrace as the final customer left with the shop's only remaining stock.

The once popular store had been stripped bare by the time the shutters came down and the store was locked up shortly before 6pm.

Woolworths would have celebrated 100 years in the UK next year but instead it has become the highest profile retail casualty as the UK slides into recession.

Other victims have included furniture retailer MFI and music and games chain Zavvi, which collapsed into administration on Christmas Eve.

Fellow strugglers Whittard of Chelsea and the Officers Club also called in administrators but were immediately sold in rescue deals.

A spokeswoman for administrator Deloitte said all staff whose store has closed will be paid until December 31.

She added that the stores which had closed were those with the lowest levels of stock.