28/12/08 - Woolies To Close, 2nd January

Administrators at Woolworths have confirmed the Swindon branch will close on Friday January 2nd, with all 807 stores to be closed by 5 January.

The first shops shut on 27 December and all 27,000 permanent and temporary staff will lose their jobs if no last-minute buyer is found.

The administrators said there was still interest in parts of the business but admitted they had "not come close" to finding a buyer for the firm.

A range of food, clothes and "value retailers" have made offers to take over the leases at about 300 stores.

Cllr Justin Tomlinson, Swindon North Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, "Firstly I am devastated for the staff at both the retail branch the the distribution depot in Dorcan, many of whom have worked for Woolworths for their entire working career.  The Administrators should make every effort to put Woolworths staff who were losing their jobs in contact with these potential employers.

"Secondly this is a real blow to the high street.  Whether you were a customer or not of Woolworths, we are seeing yet another company disappear - 99 years of trading wiped out, leaving less customer choice.  With 1 in 10 high street stores expected to fall into administration in the New Year what sort of bland high street will we be left with?

"It really does show the sad state of the economy that no buyer could be found.  When the Administrators were brought in, the initial limited pre-Christmas sales yielded record business for Woolworths.

"As a local resident myself, I have friends who have worked for Woolworths and I personally did shop there - so a real blow.''

Robert Buckland, Swindon South Conservative Parliamentary Candidate added: "The sheer pace of the collapse of Woolworths is not only a tragedy for all concerned, but it is a warning that 2009 is going to be an incredibly difficult year for the High Street.  Hundreds of workers in Swindon, many with a lifetime of service to Woolies, face a bleak New Year.  My hope is that all those caught up in the end of a much loved store will receive the support they deserve and that the outlook for all Woolworths employees and their families will improve in the year ahead''