Metropol

Leeds had a Woolworths in the White Rose shopping centre. The rent went up and they moved out. Then they were left with the scabbiest store I've seen in the Merrion Centre (vile 60's shopping centre near nothing in the centre).

I guess it looked like downhill from then.

I was at work when I heard that their shares had been frozen and we were talking about it. One colleague said Woolworths used to be the place to go if you needed anything - they were bound to have it. Unfortunately, they didn't exactly move with their business model until it was too late. Earlier that morning I saw a "worth it" woollies commercial and it looked terrible - worse in fact than poundstretcher!

Woollies have driven themselves into the ground. I'd be glad to see more local retailers taking their place, but I think their marginal market will be quickly absorbed by the supermarkets instead.

nwtv2003 wrote:I can't say I've ever seen any Woolies in any big shopping centres at all.

There is certainly one is Nottingham's Victoria Centre. Ditto the Parishes in Scunthorpe (a new-ish one, built in 2003). There's one in Hull, too.

A wonderful website all about the history of Woolies can be found here:
http://museum.woolworths.co.uk/

all new Phil wrote:Apparently PC World and Currys have reported a sharp drop in profits, I'd put my money on them being the next casualties. Somerfield IIRC have recently been bought by Co-Op, who I think are pretty safe.

On second thoughts, Co-op probably will survive due to their ridiculous profit margins. There's a Co-op down the road that I go to every now and then when I can't be bothered to walk the two miles to Asda (yeah, walk - can't afford the bus these days either). A tube of Pringles costs 78p in Asda. The same tube in Co-op costs £1.99

all new Phil wrote:Tesco in particular leaves a bit of a sour taste in my mouth with how they are so blatent in wanting people to buy *everything* from them. Asda are going the same way too - it's no coincidence that I tend to avoid them in favour of Morrisons and Sainsburys these days.

I had to go to Tesco the other day when Asda ran out of Mach 3 Turbo razor blades. On the shelf Tesco have a label saying '£1 less than Asda' - but that's for the 5 pack. The 8 pack is £1 more expensive than Asda. :roll: If there was a Morrisons round here I'd shop there instead.

Yeah, they ALL do that with their price comparisons chie. They're basically a blatant distraction technique.

Chie wrote:Mach 3 Turbo razor blades.

I don't think I'll ask.

Nick Harvey wrote:

Chie wrote:Mach 3 Turbo razor blades.

I don't think I'll ask.

Maybe he's reached the emo phase.

I wish my grass was Emo, that way it'd cut itself. *HEY HO*

m_in_m wrote:

nwtv2003 wrote:I can't say I've ever seen any Woolies in any big shopping centres at all.

I know of one, Norwich Riverside - whether there are many though I don't know. All the others I have seen have been in High Streets - and many have not seen a refurbishment in years meaning they are difficult to navigate and not very apathetically pleasing.

Most Woolies have been refurbished in the last few years and as a result they have become much harder to navigate, actually.

I wonder if anyone else can attest to the correctness of this rule: "The shitter the town, the bigger the woolworths". For me it holds absolutely true as my home town is utter shit and has (had?) a massive one, and so does Cromer. Manchester doesn't have one at all.

Manchester hasn't had one since the Woolies there burned to the ground years ago, has it?

Does the "Big W" out in the Cheetham Hill Retail Park not count? (It is in the borough of Manchester). In which case, Manchester's is quite big?