The wonder of Woolworths (From Bournemouth Echo)

The wonder of Woolworths

7:00pm Wednesday 26th November 2008 in

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THEY used to say that it was the way to check if you lived in a town or village. If it had a Woolies it was a town. If it didn’t, we towny-boys thought you must be a right onion-crunching bumpkin. Until we grew up and wanted to move out to the country ourselves.

Today the troubles facing Woolworths, whose shares were suspended on Wednesday, mean more to many of us than just another store suffering a bloody nose in the credit crunch. It epitomised the high streets of our youth.

We all know someone who can recall, with fondness, that cheese counter at their favourite Woolworths that sold such exotic fare as Mature Chedder.

And every Woolworths had its sweet counter where you’d lick your lips as the toffees, fudges and boiled sweets were scooped on to the scales to be weighed.

And then there was Christmas. As a boy I would buy all my presents at FW Woolworth’s in one magnificently swift hit. Plastic flowers for Auntie; keyring for Uncle; cheap scent for my sister that proved so tantalising she kept it unopened until it would, mysteriously, find its way to the dustbin. Yes, I know, Generosity is my middle name.

Woolworths may have always been a chain store but it has been a landmark on our high streets for generations and I hope it survives. Today chain stores pepper our shopping centres, diluting their individual appeal.

That is why we should support the Keep Trade Local campaign to safeguard the local shops that are distinctly our own.

The Woolworths in Bournemouth town centre used to be where Boots now is in the Square. It closed in 1982.

Which, you could argue, by that old definition is when Bournemouth town centre became a village.