THE credit crunch has claimed many victims with businesses folding and workers losing their jobs.

Over recent months we have all watched as shops have closed their doors and a wide variety of traders have gone out of business.

So why is it that the pending demise of Woolworths has had such a devastating effect on the great British public?

Everyone brought up in this country had access to a branch of Woolies.

We all bought our sweets there, we all dashed in to buy a last minute Christ-mas present and we all (well, the older ones) bought our chart singles there.

And that’s why the almost certain closure of hundreds of its stores seems to sum up the grotty state of the economy for us all.

Woolworths has always sold a strange selection of goods. Where else on the high street can you get pick ‘n’ mix sweets, toys, school uniforms and a garden hose all under the same, often small, roof?

Life won’t seem quite the same without it.

At Woolworths in Winton yesterday there was a peculiar atmosphere. On one hand, customers were bitterly complaining about the collapse of one of the nation’s favourite shops.

With the other hand, however, they were snatching the final bargains from the shelves to boost their haul of Christmas shopping.

Mum-of-two Leanne Davies from Southbourne said: “Woolworths is part of history and I think it’s a real shame that it’s going to close. My Auntie, who is now 80, worked in Woolies for years and my brother also had his first job in the Boscombe branch.”

Doreen Jones from Winton added: “I buy all sorts of bits and bobs from here and I can’t imagine it not being open any more.”

Lynne Jennings from Muscliff said: “It is horrible to see Woolworths like this. The shelves are almost empty. Woolworths is unique.”

And Alex Smith from Winton said: “I use Woolworths quite a lot. There were things I was going to buy anyway so I thought I would come along to the sale.”

Staff at the Poole branch said around 50 customers were outside yesterday morning, waiting for the doors to open so they could snatch the best bargains.

There was a stream of shoppers all day and the shelves began to empty while the queue for the tills snaked through the store.

Shopper Sharon Cramer, from Sturminster Marshall, said she had been shopping there for years.

“I always have a look in there, and usually buy something.”

She picked up some chocolates and toys for Christmas, but added: “There’s not a lot left – all the games have gone.”

Heather Pretty, from Poole, said: “It’s a national institution. It’s almost like someone has died because you’ve grown up with it and it’s always been there. It’s shocking that such big stores are going – it is part of the town.”