Tears as UK retail icon shuts doors

7 Jan 2009

It's the end of an era as a British retail institution closed its doors on a century of trading as the latest victim of the financial crisis shut down the last of its stores.

British retail institution Woolworths closed the doors on a century of trading as the latest victim of the financial crisis shut down the last of its stores on Tuesday.

The collapse of Woolworths sees 27,000 workers lose their jobs. Staff wept outside the branch in Warrington, northwest England, as their store wound down.

The company's 807 stores are a feature on almost every British high street. Administrators Deloitte gave the last 200 still operating a final day of selling off stock at heavily reduced prices.

Even the fixtures and fittings were up for grabs as empty shelves were whisked away.

Woolies, as it is affectionately known, used to be stuffed with mothers looking for cheap toys and stationery, children bagging up handfuls of pick and mix sweets and teenagers buying the latest hit singles.

But the chain has been struggling for years and the credit crunch has finally crippled the clothes-to-confectionery retailer. Woolworths went into administration in November and Deloitte failed to find a buyer.

At the Cowbridge Road East branch in Cardiff, customers picked off the remaining goods.

"We grew up with Woolies. There was always something pretty good to buy," said Monica Brokenshire, 79.

"It's going to leave a hole in the high street."

Shirley Russell, 72, added, "Everyone's been saying: 'What are we going to do without Woolworths?'.

"It's a sign of the times, but we never thought Woolies would go."

Marks and Spencer employee Gemma Thomas, 26, said she had bought chart CDs for 20 pence (29 US cents, 22 € cents, R3).

She added: "Woolies has been around for a while, and for this to happen is disgusting.

"It's sad to see them taking out all the shelves, and even the passport photo machine, right in front of you."

Meanwhile the BBC reported that another high street institution, Marks and Spencer, was to announce 1,000 job cuts when it makes a trading update on the Christmas period to the London Stock Exchange at 7:00 am (0700 GMT) Wednesday.

M&S, Britain's largest fashion retailer, declined to comment.

The company employs about 70,000 staff.

At the Woolworths store in Lewes, near the south coast, staff said they would be having a drinks party after the doors shut.

Employee Kim Nichols, 31, said: "We'll sit together for an hour or so and say our goodbyes in private. It's just a bit of sentiment, we can all have a little cry together."

Source: AFP

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