Farewell to Woolworths
![A German V2 rocket falls on New Cross, demolishing a branch of Woolworths and other nearby shops, killing 160 and injuring 108 (Image © PA/PA Archive/PA Photos)]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/fd/a2e22f6fcda11e78fae833976a55b/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"}} "A German V2 rocket falls on New Cross, demolishing a branch of Woolworths and other nearby shops, killing 160 and injuring 108 (Image © PA/PA Archive/PA Photos) (PA/PA Archive/PA Photos)")
![Britain goes decimal, and Lord Fiske, chairman of the Decimal Board, drops into a branch of Woolworths on the Strand (Image © PA/PA Archive/PA Photos)]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/2f/4e281934a96caf0b44a1ab5e1c738/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"}} "Britain goes decimal, and Lord Fiske, chairman of the Decimal Board, drops into a branch of Woolworths on the Strand (Image © PA/PA Archive/PA Photos) (PA/PA Archive/PA Photos)")
![Fire officers check over store plans amid the charred remains of the burned out restaurant area in a branch, following a blaze in which 10 people died (Image © PA/PA Archive/PA Photos)]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/d4/ccbce3d56ded2fce12fed79a1282ec/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"}} "Fire officers check over store plans amid the charred remains of the burned out restaurant area in a branch, following a blaze in which 10 people died (Image © PA/PA Archive/PA Photos) (PA/PA Archive/PA Photos)")
![The Woolworths fashion collection for summer 1980 is unveiled (Image © PA/PA Archive/PA Photos)]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/a8/459a172218a0accbc8e11b9bfbf91/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"}} "The Woolworths fashion collection for summer 1980 is unveiled (Image © PA/PA Archive/PA Photos) (PA/PA Archive/PA Photos)")
![Jackie Tester, 61, prepares to celebrate Christmas Day with a tree bought from Woolworths for 6d in 1930. Mrs Tester believes her 69-year-old tree is one of the oldest still in use in the UK, boasting a fairy her mother made from a pipe cleaner (Image © Sean Dempsey/PA Archive/PA Photos)]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/7c/f69ac6ac6bb74f8bd7345cea50c9/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"}} "Jackie Tester, 61, prepares to celebrate Christmas Day with a tree bought from Woolworths for 6d in 1930. Mrs Tester believes her 69-year-old tree is one of the oldest still in use in the UK, boasting a fairy her mother made from a pipe cleaner (Image © Sean Dempsey/PA Archive/PA Photos) (Sean Dempsey/PA Archive/PA Photos)")
![Erstwhile popsters S Club 7 encourage shoppers in a London branch to reach for their wallets and purchase miniature versions of themselves (Image © Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA Archive/PA Photos)]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/4d/5afba67c6243be9d772a5b63fe67/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"}} "Erstwhile popsters S Club 7 encourage shoppers in a London branch to reach for their wallets and purchase miniature versions of themselves (Image © Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA Archive/PA Photos) (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA Archive/PA Photos)")
![Swarms of baying fans amass in a branch to greet more erstwhile popsters, Hear'Say, for a signing session coinciding with the release of the band's first single, Pure and Simple (Image © Sean Dempsey/PA Archive/PA Photos)]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/56/581b3838b885b2797c2beb3813cd50/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"}} "Swarms of baying fans amass in a branch to greet more erstwhile popsters, Hear'Say, for a signing session coinciding with the release of the band's first single, Pure and Simple (Image © Sean Dempsey/PA Archive/PA Photos) (Sean Dempsey/PA Archive/PA Photos)")
![No-one passed over the chance of a personal appearance in Woolworths, not even from another galaxy. Here Darth Vader and two Storm Troopers guard copies of yet another re-released version of the Star Wars trilogy (Image © Myung Jung Kim/PA Archive/PA Photos)]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/f7/27d88079b68057c5fcdb02aaa217/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"}} "No-one passed over the chance of a personal appearance in Woolworths, not even from another galaxy. Here Darth Vader and two Storm Troopers guard copies of yet another re-released version of the Star Wars trilogy (Image © Myung Jung Kim/PA Archive/PA Photos) (Myung Jung Kim/PA Archive/PA Photos)")
![Woolworths unveil a set of commemorative collectables to mark the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton. At the time of writing, the pair have yet to announce their engagement (Image © Woolworths/PA Archive/PA Photos)]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/44/994c8daf53812416abf2cae9f8f1/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"}} "Woolworths unveil a set of commemorative collectables to mark the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton. At the time of writing, the pair have yet to announce their engagement (Image © Woolworths/PA Archive/PA Photos) (Woolworths/PA Archive/PA Photos)")
![Woolworths launch an edible engagement ring (Image © Woolworths/PA Archive/PA Photos)]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/84/f18aae2d533795d5eced8da483766/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"}} "Woolworths launch an edible engagement ring (Image © Woolworths/PA Archive/PA Photos) (Woolworths/PA Archive/PA Photos)")
![Erica Marston, 88, with two 'scary pensioner' masks on sale in Woolworths (Image © Owen Humphreys/PA Wire/PA Photos)]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/10/6c725e226284be176863dc5c4847/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"}} "Erica Marston, 88, with two 'scary pensioner' masks on sale in Woolworths (Image © Owen Humphreys/PA Wire/PA Photos) (Owen Humphreys/PA Wire/PA Photos)")
![Shoppers queue up to take advantage of a nationwide 50% off sale (Image © Owen Humphreys/PA Wire/PA Photos)]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/d3/247735ce816497590eb0f751fa5/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"}} "Shoppers queue up to take advantage of a nationwide 50% off sale (Image © Owen Humphreys/PA Wire/PA Photos) (Owen Humphreys/PA Wire/PA Photos)")
![A branch of Woolworths in Portadown (Image © Paul Faith/PA Wire/PA Photos)]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/7c/bfe8ddbb5b59f3d42c2df2bf651bc4/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"}} "A branch of Woolworths in Portadown (Image © Paul Faith/PA Wire/PA Photos) (Paul Faith/PA Wire/PA Photos)")
![With no buyer willing to save Woolworths, every branch is suddenly told to sell its entire stock, including fixtures and fittings (Image © Gareth Fuller/PA Wire/PA Photos)]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/3f/2b5a4e23874c3846ca869afc82aba/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"}} "With no buyer willing to save Woolworths, every branch is suddenly told to sell its entire stock, including fixtures and fittings (Image © Gareth Fuller/PA Wire/PA Photos) (Gareth Fuller/PA Wire/PA Photos)")
![A branch of Woolworths in North Finchley, London (Image © Ian Jones)]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/4b/ba69688c839a890e7ad9366b513b7/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"}} "A branch of Woolworths in North Finchley, London (Image © Ian Jones) (Ian Jones)")
Once upon a time in a high street near you…
The exterior of a typical Woolworths store in 1982. Around this time Woolworths was the largest department store chain in the world.
London, November 1944
A German V2 rocket falls on New Cross, demolishing a branch of Woolworths and other nearby shops, killing 160 and injuring 108.
London, February 1971
Britain goes decimal, and Lord Fiske, chairman of the Decimal Board, drops into a branch of Woolworths on the Strand to make sure everything is in order. Prices across the country were initially marked in both pre-decimal (pounds, shillings and pence) and decimal (100 pennies to the pound) values.
Manchester, May 1979
Fire officers inspect store plans amid the charred remains of the burned-out restaurant area in a Manchester branch, following a blaze in which 10 people died. Restaurants were common in Woolworths up until the 1990s.
London, March 1980
The Woolworths fashion collection for summer 1980 is unveiled. Tessa Hewitt (left) models a Vino-one-Shoulder swimsuit in shimmering nylon and lycra, available in vino, black or mid-blue. Gillian Duxbury models a black/strawberry halter-neck swimsuit in nylon and lycra featuring two dainty heart pendants suspended from the halter neckline, also available in pink, brown, beige and rust.
Hullbridge, December 1999
Jackie Tester, 61, prepares to celebrate Christmas Day with a tree bought from Woolworths for 6d in 1930. Mrs Tester believes her 69-year-old tree is one of the oldest still in use in the UK, boasting a fairy her mother made from a pipe cleaner.
London, September 2000
Erstwhile popsters S Club 7 encourage shoppers in a London branch to reach for their wallets and purchase miniature versions of themselves.
Milton Keynes, March 2001
Swarms of baying fans amass in a branch to greet more erstwhile popsters, Hear'Say, for a signing session coinciding with the release of the band's first single, Pure and Simple.
London, September 2004
No-one passed over the chance of a personal appearance in Woolworths, not even from another galaxy. Here Darth Vader and two Storm Troopers guard copies of yet another re-released version of the Star Wars trilogy.
China crisis, November 2006
Woolworths unveil a set of commemorative collectables to mark the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton. At the time of writing, the pair have yet to announce their engagement.
To have and to hold, February 2008
This is more like it: Woolworths launch an edible pic'n'mix engagement ring.
Don't fancy yours much, October 2008
Erica Marston, 88, with two 'scary pensioner' masks on sale in Woolworths. Liz Lynne, Liberal Democrat MEP for the West Midlands, said: 'Halloween is supposed to be a fun time, but I think that the singling out of older people by Woolworths as something to ridicule steps over the line.' A Woolworths spokesman defended the sales but offered an apology to anyone offended.
Whitley Bay, December 2008
Ominous signs. Shoppers queue up to take advantage of a nationwide 50% off sale.
Portadown, County Armagh, December 2008
Right up to the moment of its demise, Woolworths enjoyed a presence across the country.
Dover, December 2008
With nobody willing to save the chain, every branch of Woolworths is suddenly told to sell its entire stock, including fixtures and fittings.
Finchley, December 2008
The end of an era.
