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World's oldest Woolworths store closes its doors for the last time
Felix Allen30.12.08
THE world's oldest branch of Woolworths has shut after becoming one of the most high-profile victims of the credit crisis.
The south London store, which has stood on the same site for 96 years, has survived two world wars, several recessions and decades of urban regeneration.
Now all its shelves have been stripped bare by bargain hunters after the chain went bust and administrators closed it down.
Britain's first Woolworths opened in Liverpool in 1909 but the Croydon branch, which opened in North End in 1912, was the oldest still trading in the world.
The American company of the same name, founded by Frank W Woolworth in Pennsylvania in 1878, closed all its stores in 1997.
Nostalgic shoppers in Croydon paid a last visit, while tearful employees posed for farewell photographs.
Shelves and other fixtures and fittings were up for sale alongside the few remaining items of heavily discounted stock.
A concessions manager, Isabelle, said: "As you can imagine everyone among the staff is very upset, but we have got to try and keep positive."
Among the last customers was Penny Harris, 40, who said: "We are devastated. I just popped in to say goodbye really, to the shop and to the staff. I think there should have been more of an effort to save it - it is a part of British history."
Joyce Neilson, 85, said: "I was coming to this very store when I was four years old. I remember my father bringing me on Christmas Eve.
"Woolworths closing down is something that people of my age never thought they would see because it had been there all our lives. I think it's really sad."
everything has gone world's oldest woolworths store closes its doors for last time
Reader views (18)
I just was watching the BBC News and they were talking about this and was surprised that there was a Woolworth in England let alone still open. Ours closed in 97 and I used to work right next store to one and I loved that place. Walmart closed ours out in America and I was really sad when it closed cause I went to Woolworths ever since I was a little girl up Until I was 18 . I loved how there things were really cheap and How the restruant was very cheap for a full meal.
- Jamie, new jersey, USA
The UK holds on to the past too much. The good old days were never that good. There are a whole bunch of people coming up in the world who dont care about the past and will take the future away from us if we dont stop whining and clinging to dead relics. We need to start looking at what we need to do to survive or the rest of the world is going to take it all away from us.
- Michael, London UK
Good heavens! What a strange lot of comments.
First, its a great 'British' institution (it isn't, it was started by FW Woolworth who was American and modeled the British stores on his already successful American chain.
Secondly, its the fault of Thatcher! We're nearly in the 2010s now, and Thatcher won nearly 30 years ago. Get a grip!
- George, London
Why would anyone want to rescue a load of old tat?
- Michael Riley, London
My very first Saturday job was at Twickenham woolies makeing the sandwiches..........Everyone had a thick helping of margarine when I was there!
Gone now but not forgotten.
- Valerie, London
The closing of Woolies is so very symbolic of the loss of yet another symbol that gave the U.K. its special character as an independent country. Concorde, QE2, red phone boxes, Routemasters, country post offices -- some of the many, many idiosyncratic symbols of the U.K. that are now gone or almost gone. I appreciate that things have now gone too far for the U.K. to pull back from its pending provincial status as part of a bigger country, but those cherished memories of a time when the British people had full control of their destiny will never die.
- Phil Jones, London UK
I am surprised that no one has started laying flowers and wreaths outside closed branches of Woolworths.
Florists could sell them shaped like 3d or 6d!!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
It's amazing that nobody has come up with a rescue.
In the last few weeks I've been to several branches and I could sense that there was a lot of goodwill towards the chain. The administrators have admitted that since the closing down sales stated over 2 weeks ago, they have been taking up to £30m a day. By now they've probably raised more than enough to pay off their £385m bank debts.
There's still a business opportunity here to make a fresh start with better management, better marketing and better merchandising. A recession ought to be an opportunity for a value store.
- Martin, Richmond
Hello London,
We in Scarborough are sad to see the closure of a high street favourite. Woolies was managed badly by its bosses, but they walk away into the sun-set well off.
The rot started back in the days of deregulation by Thatchers Government and has led to many a company going to the wall.
She and her mottly crew sold off all the utilities, power companies, B.R, and B.A. and lots of other family silver, and created a man called "SID" ?.
Banks and lending authorities closed there eyes and greed took over, money money money, and now today the dear old plodder of a tax payer pays.
These people in high ranks of power and finance, industries, should be ashamed of themselfs, look what you have done to the world.
Finally,
Going into 2009 Great Britain and our P.M. have now given those who will be left in jobs a massive mountain to climb, and also the road will be tough, we will get through this and lessons must be learned.
To those who worked in WOOLIES I wish you luck in finding employment, and to all others as well,2009 will come in with a bang and life goes on, on a brighter note best wishes and happy new year to all readers ,
from Scarborough N.YKS.
- John.L., Scarborough N.Yks U.K.
Does anybody remember the smell of Woolies in the sixties & seventies I think that it was the floor wax that they used?
- Casper Slides, France at the moment
Woolworths had been part of our high street for over a 100 years; very sad to see it go. Our high streets will be the poorer for it's loss. Everyone shopped in Woolworths for all sorts of things - not just "chavs" - a very snobbish comment if ever I heard one. My local branch (in Swiss Cottage London) had media people and other celebs buying stationary for their children, dvds, household stuff....I'm really sorry it has gone.
- Suzy, London UK
Kerry, Chavs they may or may not be but they were paying tax - now you (if you are working) and I will have to shell out for their unemployment benefit.
Be a bit more compassionate; it will help you too.
- Andy, London
There has always been a woolies wherever I have lived and some 50 years ago I used to spend my one shilling a week pocket money in there each Saturday.
Many of the staff have worked for woolies for a long time and some were working in my local branch when I moved here in the early 70’s and were the ones who closed the doors for the last time this week.
- Mike Melbourne, Bedford England
It will be good to see more of these high street names disappear, if it means a return to small local shops offering quality goods and services. Is it too much to hope that the day of the identikit town centre, with its chain stores foisting rubbish upon us, is finally coming to an end?
- Ken, Bexleyheath
Woolworths in Croydon was a hell hole. packed with Chavs, untidy shelves, merchandise packed up in huge unweildy piles, items strewn all over the floor and staff with an average IQ of 20, thank heavens its gone.
- Kerry, Purley
How very sad to see Woolworth stores in so much trouble. My first job was in Woolies as a Saturday girl, I enjoyed my experience there so much I left school, and my training in Commerce, and took up a permanent position there - loved it! I was in my local Woolies recently, Chessington, and an elderly gentleman enquired after his lozenges which, normally readily available, had to go without. 'If it's not on the shelf we cannot help now' he was politely told. His face almost brought me to tears. I feel worried for the elderly who find it difficult to get to, and subsequently walk around, large town centres. How sad just another slice of independence will be taken away from them and soon they will have to rely on someone either taking them to, or shopping for them, in supermarkets on the outskirts of civilisation. I personally dislike large town centres and when you have loaded up with your Woolies goodies - what a trek to your car. Buses are crowded and dare I say 'messy' and -where do you put all your purchases?
Christmas was sadly overshadowed this year with the impending loss of my Woolies. I feel I have lost a very trusted and beloved friend.
Good luck Woolworth's and staff - and thankyou for the many happy shopping years. You will surely be in my prayers this Christmas. I hope someone still bails you out - I so would if I could afford it! Deloitte you leave me speechless, Richard Gere's role in Pretty Woman isn't fiction anymore, he couldn't sleep at night either
- Pam Lesniak, Chessington, Surrey
Woolworths were filling the roles of Robert Dyas, Zavi, Boots, Toysrus and John Menzies all under one high street located no ground rent store....how could it fail to make money ? Woolies also had a huge distribution system in place that serviced firms like Zavi and still failed to make money. Unbelievable.
- Squiz, islington
Very sad to see a childhood favourite store close. Bad management causes this - they didnt change with the times, online retailing is gianing share and they should have realised this many years ago and changed the business model as well as diversifying more into other areas.
I'm shocked that so called 'business guru's' like Dragon's Den team didnt see an opportunity here to gain access to a high street presence and a shame Theo didn't secure a deal, he just wanted to take a few prime locations. Its a retail dream come true for any company if they could hold out for the cyclical upturn. Interest rates could hit 0% in Q1 or Q2 of 2009!
- Ketan Y, London, England
