Woolworth's closure - 5th anniversary

[Louisa]

I can't believe we are fast approaching the 5th anniversary of the demise of high street chain Woolworths (not to be confused with the new online retailer of the same name). They left ED years ago (now Foxtons), but they left a huge and noticeable hole in Peckham's Rye Lane and unbelievably a large percentage of their old stores remain empty to this day! For me personally Poundland et al do not cut the mustard or the same sentimentalities as Woolies once did, and I miss them. Can we please have some memories/pictures shared here in the build up to the anniversary? Any former employees?

Louisa.

[*Bob*]

It's Dixons I really miss.

The demise of their outdated business model for flogging electrical goods to a world which had long since moved on - regularly leaves me with a nostalgic tear in my rose-tinted contact lens.

[aquarius moon]

I started working at my local Woolworths in 1980.

It had a deli counter, selling cooked meats, cheese etc, and a bakery that sold fresh bread & cream cakes.

I started off on the sweet counter (complete with pick n' mix!), then a spell on the record counter, ladieswear & finally cosmetics/make-up.

I don't think there was anything we didn't sell.

It was never the same once they got rid of all the fresh food counters & modernised all the stores.

I went back to the branch where I worked, years later & barely recognised it.

I still miss shopping there.

Whenever you needed to buy any household items, you could be sure to get it in good old Woolies.

[Loz]

*Bob* Wrote:

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> It's Dixons I really miss.

>

> The demise of their outdated business model for

> flogging electrical goods to a world which had

> long since moved on - regularly leaves me with a

> nostalgic tear in my rose-tinted contact lens.

I miss Dixons. Where else could I check out electrical equipment before heading home and buying it cheaper on the internet. And have it delivered faster. Without being harassed for half an hour to buy useless extended warranties?

[minder]

I miss Woolworths in Peckham too and the one in Camberwell, which is now a Peacocks.

Also miss C&A which I'm sure was somewhere there on two floors, before Woolworths e.g. where Woolworths used to be?

[Louisa]

Peckham had two C&A stores at the same time, one is now McDonald's and the other is the large building opposite Peckham Rye station in between the two railway arches. If you ever travel from Peckham Rye towards London Bridge you can still see the famous old C&A logo on top of both buildings.

Louisa.

[minder]

Thanks for the info Louisa! Remember buying a halter-neck or two at C&A in the 70s!

[Loz]

The loss of C&A meant the old knickers joke was lost as well. Sad times.

[ratty]

A fine joke, although my mum always told me C&A was so named because they sold Coats & 'ats!

[*Bob*]

I miss the Austin Princess - with it's sleek lines, plush trim and reliable engine.

So sad to see it go. These modern cars just aren't the same.

[????]

I was an Allegro man myself *Bob*, they don't make them like they used to - rusty, unreliable, ugly, crap and dangerous..those were the days

[*Bob*]

We had a Montego as well as a Princess. And a Servis washing machine. All paragons of quality engineering paired with an effortless style.

Are there any other British brands we can romanticise about that were well past their sell-by date at least a decade before they shut-up shop?

[????]

The Queen mum?

[*Bob*]

oh, 4 Pounds.

How could you.

[JohnL]

Hey - they still seem to exist outside the UK - maybe that joke annoyed them and they left :)

http://www.c-and-a.com/uk/en/corporate/company/stores/?no_cache=1

Loz Wrote:

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> The loss of C&A meant the old knickers joke was

> lost as well. Sad times.

[Laur]

Does anyone remember the lovely security man that worked in Woolworths in Peckham - he was almost part of the fixtures and fittings having worked there with a smile for many years.

[steveo]

I was once caught shoplifting in Woolworths

As I was led to the office, I chucked the booty back on various counters and by the time we got there I was an innocent, slightly indignant school boy

Padlocks and a torch

[DulwichFox]

ratty Wrote:

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> A fine joke, although my mum always told me C&A

> was so named because they sold Coats & 'ats!

C & A's

In 1841, the brothers Clemens and August founded the textile shop C&A, which sold, unusually for that time, ready made clothes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenninkmeijer_family

DulwichFox

[Ted Max]

Steveo touches on a poignant issue. Demise of Woolworths also meant demise of another entry-level shoplifter training ground.

Huge long corridors of high displays, no budget for security: even the novice lifter (sorry Steve) could walk out of there with half an office of stationery down their C&A underpants.

Littlewoods the same, because the staff didn't give a toss and were virtually cheering you out the door.

Once you'd got over the simple basics, these transferrable skills could be applied in C&A, BHS and HMV.

Supermarkets getting into clothing lines, and the domination of digital music, ruined the lifting community.

[*Bob*]

Ah yes - there was the rampant theft. I do have fond memories of that.

Gareth B_______ would steal Parker Pens and Transformers to order, which went on for some time. Until the day he got fingered (in the old-fashioned sense) by the security staff and was found to have several Parker Pens concealed in the lining of his blazer. The school had a visit from a local bobby who gave a rather sweet talk on the perils of embarking on a life of crime.

[Otta]

Woolworths is still big in Australia I think. But more of a supermarket there.

[Louisa]

*Bob* Wrote:

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> Ah yes - there was the rampant theft. I do have

> fond memories of that.

>

> Gareth B_______ would steal Parker Pens and

> Transformers to order, which went on for some

> time. Until the day he got fingered (in the

> old-fashioned sense) by the security staff and was

> found to have several Parker Pens concealed in the

> lining of his blazer. The school had a visit from

> a local bobby who gave a rather sweet talk on the

> perils of embarking on a life of crime.

I was once fingered at Woolies in Petts Wood because the security alarms went off as I exited the store at the same time as someone who had walked out with two Easter eggs stuffed up their jumper. They took me to the office then quickly realised they had got the wrong person and a Benny Hill style chase along the high street eventually caught the culprit. I was most amused once the shock and horror of being accused of stealing from Woolworth's had passed.

Louisa.

[edcam]

Curly Wurlies aren't as big as they used to be :-(

[aquarius moon]

Nothing is as big as it used to be

[Louisa]

Neither are wagon wheels.

Louisa.