Poundland, Hexham (19 Nov 2011)

Poundland opened the doors of its new Hexham store last Thursday (17 November) – and I understand that another Northumberland Poundland will be opening in Ashington soon.

The new Hexham store was having a ‘family fun day’ when I visited on Saturday, with the result that every child in Hexham town centre seemed to be carrying a Poundland balloon.

Looking beyond the initial razzmattazz, I suspect that the store will still do very well. It’s very visible, carries a good range in a decent-sized space, and lacks much in the way of competition. Though Hexham has a well-stocked but careworn Poundstretcher, the town is relatively unusual for the North East in having neither Wilkinson nor Home Bargains.

Poundland, Hexham (19 Nov 2011)

Meanwhile, having only had one Northumberland store (in Cramlington) prior to Hexham’s opening last week, Poundland is set to quickly add a third. I understand that the retailer has taken over the old Ethel Austin premises in Ashington, with contractors already on site and jobs being advertised. Given the quick turnaround in Hexham, we can surely expect the Ashington store to be opening well before Christmas.

Coming hot on the heels of recent new stores in Peterlee (in the former Woolworths – which I obviously need to visit!), Bishop Auckland (another ex-Ethel Austin) and Durham’s Arnison Retail Centre (previously Bensons for Beds and Ponden Home), Poundland’s expansion in the North East certainly shows no sign of letting up just yet.

With a UK store count now at more than 360 and rising, Poundland’s estate has increased by an astonishing 200 shops in the last three years. However, there must surely become a point – in just a few years’ time at the current rate of expansion – where Poundland has stores in almost all the places where it wants them.

Little wonder then that Poundland has recently launched a new fascia, Dealz, that it can potentially roll out across the eurozone, starting in Ireland. It’s a canny move that should ensure Poundland’s continued expansion, even once its domestic market is saturated.

Window display, Poundstretcher Wombwell (3 Nov 2011)

A few days ago, I blogged about how Poundstretcher in Newcastle needs to sell itself better in order to capitalise on the extra footfall generated by the opening of Discount UK opposite. I argued that the quality of Poundstretcher’s products, and its homewares in particular, is much higher than the shoddy advertising board and lacklustre store environment would lead shoppers to believe.

Sadly, presentation issues seem to permeate throughout the 350-strong chain. On Thursday last week I was touring South Yorkshire, and took the opportunity to visit the Poundstretcher in Wombwell, near Barnsley. The experience, I’m sorry to say, was very poor.

Poundstretcher, Wombwell (3 Nov 2011)

Externally, the shop at least ticks one box by featuring the latest Poundstretcher logo and fascia, which is increasingly replacing the disparate visual identities across the chain. However, the cluttered frontage of plastic containers and window posters offers neither an attractive shop window, nor views into the store. I was especially puzzled by the stacks of Andrex that filled the right-hand window – surely no-one can think that this creates an appealing first impression?

Inside, I was shocked by the state of the shop, which was generally untidy and had litter on the floor. Poundstretcher makes an unfortunate habit of piling display stock in the aisles as well as on the shelves, but much of the product on the floor here was in unpacked boxes. As well as making the shopfloor look like a stockroom, it would have been impossible for anyone with a pushchair or in a wheelchair to negotiate the store.

Wilkinson, Wombwell (3 Nov 2011)

If the branches are holding more stock than they can physically store, this is a supply chain issue that Poundstretcher’s bosses need to tackle. In the meantime, Wombwell’s shoppers can be forgiven if they opt instead for the shiny, modernised Wilkinson store over the road.

Former Woolworths (now Poundstretcher), Camborne (20 Feb 2011)

Though Wombwell is an established Poundstretcher branch, a lot of the same flaws apply even to the newly opened branches – many of which are in former Woolworths locations. As well as the stores in Camborne and North Berwick that I’ve mentioned before, I’ve recently paid visits to the new stores in Tiverton (one of the ex-Woolies sites acquired from Alworths, and opened in May) and Melksham (the last former Woolworths site in Wiltshire to reopen, in September last year).

Poundstretcher (formerly Woolworths and Alworths), Tiverton (9 Sep 2011)

Poundstretcher (former Woolworths), Melksham (9 Oct 2011)

While these new stores benefit from being generally cleaner than the older shops in the estate, there are still issues with products cluttering the aisles and an excess of both goods and promotional posters in the shop windows. In contrast, modern variety store retailers such as Wilkinson, Discount UK and Home Bargains manage to combine a strong value offer with stores that are still clean, bright and appealing, both inside and facing the street.

Poundstretcher’s product is strong (yet currently undersold), and the retailer is finally getting to grips with the historically confused brand that sees page 1 of Google Image Search bring up six different logo variations. Clean, tidy and accessible shops are a retailing basic, however, and Poundstretcher could do worse than to learn from – and pay some Soult-style visits to – its shinier value competitors.

Poundland fascia

One of the few empty shops in Hexham will soon be occupied again, with Poundland set to move into the former Heron Foods site in Priestpopple.

Though no opening date has been confirmed yet, store jobs have been advertised and a planning application submitted for “one internally illuminated fascia sign and one internally illuminated hanging sign”. Drawings of the signage attached to the application confirm Poundland as the retailer in question. [UPDATE, 14 Nov 2011: The opening has now been confirmed for this coming Thursday, 17 November.]

The move is significant in that it’s outside Hexham’s main pedestrianised thoroughfare of Fore Street, where multiple retailers have tended to cluster. That street, however, is consistently fully let, with Mountain Warehouse (in the former Stead & Simpson) and Iceland (in the old Woolworths) among the recent arrivals.

Priestpopple, Hexham (4 Dec 2010)

Priestpopple and Market Street, in contrast, have tended to have a higher proportion of independent stores. Nevertheless, the former Heron site is in a good location – close to the bus station, opposite the side entrance to Beales department store (formerly Robbs), and on the way to the hidden Marks & Spencer in Maidens Walk – and Poundland’s arrival is likely to drive footfall further.

Beales' side entrance, Hexham (18 Sep 2011)

Hexham’s shop vacancy rate is traditionally in the low single figures, and this letting again confirms the Northumberland town’s attractiveness to retailers – as well as Poundland’s continued foray into more upmarket locations. The joy of Hexham as a shopping destination is that it combines a good mix of chains with some superb independent shops and cafés, such as Dillies (flower, chocolate and wine shop) in Market Street, and the delightful Artful gallery and Cornmill Coffee Shop in St Mary’s Chare.

Dillies, Hexham (19 Aug 2010)

As I’ve noted before, however, tentative plans for the relocation and redevelopment of Hexham’s bus station need to be progressed if the town is to capitalise on all those big-name retail space requirements that currently cannot be met.

Discount UK (former Woolworths), Newcastle (4 Nov 2011)

Poundworld-owned variety retailer Discount UK has opened its Newcastle store today, with stilt walkers and free sweets on hand to welcome shoppers to the former Woolworths site.

I dropped by shortly after the store opened at 10am, and it seemed to have got off to a good start – it was packed with shoppers, and there were plenty of people queueing at the tills to make their purchases. Inside, the store has retained the old Woolies wooden flooring, but otherwise looks to have had a comprehensive refurbishment. It also seems to have used the bulk of the space that Woolworths previously occupied, making it rather larger than the existing Discount UK store in Middlesbrough. Externally, the store has gained some smart and bright signage that is an undoubted improvement on what it replaced.

Discount UK (former Woolworths), Newcastle (4 Nov 2011)

While Discount UK was making a concerted effort to drive shoppers into its store – with leafletters handing out offers flyers across the city centre – I couldn’t help but notice the staff and security guards in Poundstretcher opposite, looking out the window at all the activity across the street.

Poundstretcher, Newcastle (4 Nov 2011)

Newcastle’s Poundstretcher has the advantage of being housed in a handsome Grade II-Listed Richard Grainger building dating from 1837, with two decent-sized trading floors. While the ground floor features all the traditional Poundstretcher ranges, such as snacks, greetings cards, stationery, hardware and gardening, the upper level includes an usually extensive range of furniture and homewares. Like most Poundstretcher stores, however, the quality of the goods sold is far superior to the cluttered and neglected environment in which they’re presented.

Advertising board at Poundstretcher, Newcastle (4 Nov 2011)

The dreary advertising board that Poundstretcher had outside its store today is illustrative of the retailer’s presentational problems. With faded black Times New Roman lettering on a white background, it’s the type of point-of-sale advertising that would look unprofessional even for a corner shop – yet Poundstretcher is an expanding chain, with over 350 stores nationwide. Surely it could have done something more creative and eyecatching to capitalise on all the buzz and extra footfall being generated over the road?

As I’ve argued before, Discount UK’s arrival will be positive for Clayton Street in bringing some life back to the location, and helping to cement its appeal as a value retail destination. Indeed, rather than Discount UK being a threat to Poundstretcher, the shot in the arm that it will give to Clayton Street should be seen as a great opportunity.

For all that Discount UK is a multi-price fascia, the fact still remains that 80% of its product range comprises items costing £1 or less. In this regard, it is competing much more with the two Poundland stores in Eldon Square, and with Poundworld’s eponymous shop in Grainger Street, rather than with Poundstretcher, where the average item price is undoubtedly much higher.

Poundworld, Grainger Street, Newcastle

If I ran Poundstretcher, I’d be seizing the opportunity to revamp the Newcastle store as a flagship for the chain – investing in (and – crucially – maintaining) a cleaner brighter interior that matches the quality of the product; creating a clear visual identity for the store, inside and out - including the latest logo on the fascia; and sorting out the clutter by trimming the range and selling fewer products better.

Despite its name, and the tagline of ”the original value store”, Poundstretcher isn’t and never has been a pound store – it’s a brand that should be able to compete with chains like Wilkinson, Cargo, Argos and the big supermarkets, based on the quality, range and value of its home and garden products. If Poundstretcher is to build on the momentum of recently making its first (albeit modest) profit in six years, this is surely the direction in which it needs to head – rather than competing with the discounters to see who can sell the most cans of Pepsi for £1.

Discount UK, Newcastle (29 Oct 2011)

Discount UK, the Poundworld-owned variety store retailer, is to open the doors of its new Newcastle store at 10am on Friday (4 November).

As I reported a month ago, contractors on site first revealed that the Clayton Street premises had been taken over by Poundworld, nearly three years after the long-established Woolworths store closed down. The chain’s buying director, Chris Edwards, subsequently confirmed my speculation that the site would host a branch of Discount UK – Poundworld’s recently launched multi-price format, which already occupies the former Woolies site in Middlesbrough – rather than one of its eponymous pound stores.

Discount UK, Newcastle, three days ago (26 Oct 2011)

When I passed the store on Wednesday, the hoardings that had surrounded the site for the past couple of months were still up, but I could see through the gap that all the new shelving was in place. Visiting again today, the hoardings have been taken down, the existing shopfront has been painted black (and had new automatic doors inserted), and the store is in the process of being stocked. Looking inside, the shop appears to be larger than the Middlesbrough store, using much but not all of the former Woolworths shopfloor. The right-hand half of the store seems to go back further than the left.

Discount UK, Newcastle (29 Oct 2011)

One thing that the store is still missing, however, is any signage – other than the remnants of the old Woolworths lettering, of course. With no evidence of any planning application having been submitted yet, I’m curious whether the store will still have any signage in place by the time it opens on Friday.

If it doesn’t, the member of staff who was outside the store leafletting today may have to work extra hard to alert shoppers to the store’s arrival. Today, she was handing out leaflets featuring the store’s opening deals and generally explaining to passing shoppers what Discount UK will be offering.

Discount UK flyer for new Newcastle store

For all that Discount UK is a multi-price format, the four-page leaflet focuses very much on products costing £1 or under. It reveals that of the 5,000-plus products that the store will stock, over 4,000 are £1 or less, including the various grocery, snack and confectionery items featured on the front page.

Inside, the leaflet highlights some of the household and toiletry products found instore – including, eyecatchingly, a two-pack of pregnancy tests for just 99p – alongside a decent-looking range of Christmas cards, wrap and decorations. The back page features items from the Winter Guard range of car protection products, including the leaflet’s most expensive item – a £5.99 snow shovel. The flyer also flags up the ‘Celebrity’ (my quotes) Guest Day that will take place on Saturday (5 November), featuring the Emmerdale and Dancing on Ice ‘star’ (also my quotes) Roxanne Pallett.

To be fair, Discount UK’s product offering isn’t that much different from what we can already find in Newcastle’s Wilkinson, Poundland or, indeed, Poundworld. However, if its opening helps to bring some life back to a neglected part of Clayton Street, and reinforces that part of town’s attraction as a value retail destination, then it can surely only be a good thing for Newcastle city centre.

Wellworth It! in Ledbury (8 Oct 2011)

Dorchester’s famous Wellworths may have had to change its name to Wellchester at Shop Direct’s behest, but a store in the Herefordshire town of Ledbury is still evoking the memory of Woolworths in both name and visual identity.

Ledbury’s Woolworths (store #696) opened at 6-8 The Homend on 9 July 1937, and went on to serve the historic market town – famous for its timber-framed buildings – for more than 70 years until the chain’s 2008 collapse. Its replacement, Wellworth It!, opened in March last year, and – like any good ‘son of Woolies’ store – stocks a familiar and well-priced mix of homewares, garden tools, cleaning products, stationery, greetings cards, toys and the like.

Wellworth It! in Ledbury (8 Oct 2011)

What’s most interesting about the store, however, is its branding. Where previous attempts to reinvent the Woolies formula have played on the name but not the imagery – be it the blue and orange of Claire Robertson’s Wellworths, the purple of the now-defunct Alworths chain, or the black and yellow of the short-lived Well Worth It (no relation) in Wallsend – Wellworth It!’s red frontage is unashamedly ‘inspired’ by that of Woolworths. Indeed, the fascia even uses the old Woolies font (below).

Pre-collapse Woolworths logo (top) and Shop Direct's version since 2009 (bottom)

Fortunately, Shop Direct has adopted a slightly different logo (above) since reinventing Woolworths online, as Woolworths.co.uk, in 2009; otherwise, you suspect that the home shopping giant would have had something to say about happenings in Ledbury.

With the Woolworths connection so apparent in the store’s current frontage, it’s fitting that the building itself is hard to mistake for anything else. Though the property features the five-bayed symmetrical frontage that typifies Woolworths’ stores of the period, the architectural detail – including the addition of quoins (decorative cornerstones) and window pediments – is a little more ornate than usual. Indeed, the design is almost identical to that of Sidmouth, below (#729): opened about a year after Ledbury, and a store that I visited last month but have yet to blog about.

Former Woolworths (now M&Co), Sidmouth (7 Sep 2011)

At Sidmouth, the pediment of the central window extends above the parapet, giving the frontage a sense of being properly finished off. A similar feature is visible at Ledbury, too, in the c1970s postcards below, but must at some point subsequently have been levelled off when the parapet was replaced. A minor niggle, perhaps, but something that studying architecture at university for six years makes hard not to notice!

Postcard of Ledbury Woolworths in the 1970s (?)

Postcard of Ledbury Woolworths, sent in 1975

Once inside Wellworth It!, however, the store feels surprisingly unlike a former Woolworths, and has much more of the character of an independent hardware store, rather like Proper Job on Clevedon’s old Woolies site (#992). The carpet throughout gives a different feel to the traditional Woolworths wooden floor – which is still in place at Wellchester and many of the other taken-over stores – while the storeroom and warehouse at the rear of the shop has been transformed into additional selling space. When I visited, garden furniture seemed to be giving way to Christmas ranges.

On the downside, I’d like Wellworth It! to do something about the ‘unwelcoming signs’ that are, as I noted last year, so rightly frowned upon by The Retail Doctor, Bob Phibbs.

Everywhere I went in the store, I felt like I was being told off – ‘do not open the packaging’, ‘all breakages must be paid for’, or occasionally both messages at the same time. Perhaps most bizarrely, the ramp leading down to the former stockroom area had a large notice along the lines of ‘this ramp is strictly for use by wheelchairs only’; woe betide any mother with a pushchair that tried to use it instead.

In a small town like Ledbury, there’s no doubt that Wellworth It! performs a valuable role in selling a bit of everything, and ensuring that the local community doesn’t have to travel out of town for everyday items. However, if Wellworth It! is to evoke the warmth and personality of the old Woolies brand – and not just the visual imagery – then it could do worse than toning down the negative messaging.

Former Woolworths, Newcastle (30 Sep 2011)

Newcastle’s ex-Woolworths in Clayton Street (store #340) has been one of a dwindling number to retain its Woolies signage three years on, as more and more of the chain’s abandoned stores have been taken over by other retailers.

Now, as news of the site’s acquisition by Poundworld has emerged this week, the lettering at Newcastle’s Woolies has finally been taken down – though years of weathering have left a very visible imprint (above).

Former Woolworths, Newcastle (30 Sep 2011)

Former Woolworths, Newcastle (17 Sep 2011)

There was plenty of activity on site when I passed by this afternoon, and several extra openings have been punched into the hoardings facing Clayton Street since I last captured the scene a fortnight ago.

I also braved taking a photo of the Newgate Centre frontage for the first time, overlooked by a watchful security camera. However, given the absence of shops ahead of the centre’s demolition, there isn’t a great deal for any potential criminals to get up to – besides photographing empty Woolworths, of course.

Newgate Centre entrance to former Woolworths (30 Sep 2011)

Though McAleer & Rushe was granted permission for the centre’s redevelopment in June last year, there’s no indication of an imminent start to demolition work. While the inside of the centre is increasingly deserted, tenants including Halfords, Subway and Jessops are still trading in many of the street-facing units.

However, it seems unlikely that Poundworld will bother to do anything with the Newgate Centre side entrance of the ex-Woolies site, given that it will, before long, need to be blocked up anyway.

Nevertheless, the Woolworths lettering has been removed from this frontage too, though the rather bizarre remnants of the shop’s 2008 Christmas decorations – as well as the customary black granite stall riser – ensure that evidence of the property’s Woolies heritage won’t be disappearing just yet.

Former Woolworths, Newcastle (23 Aug 2011)

It seems we might finally have an answer to all the work that’s been going on recently at the old Newcastle Woolworths at 73-79 Clayton Street (store #340) – though not really thanks to any clever detective work on my part.

Last month, work was taking place on site that seemed to involve air being noisily pumped out from large tubes on the ground floor (above); then, this month, similar tubes appeared out of the upper windows, while the ground-floor frontage was boarded off (below). When I walked past yesterday afternoon the door in the hoarding was open, and sticking my head through there was a very strong smell of paint or, possibly, new flooring. Unfortunately, however, the seemingly deserted interior was in darkness, so I couldn’t see very much at all.

Former Woolworths, Newcastle (17 Sep 2011)

Fortunately, my fellow SkyscraperCity contributor, Al Reetson, had the wherewithal today to ask the on-site contractors whether the property had been let. As Al revealed this evening, they said yes, it had – to Poundworld, the single-price retailer that already has a small store in nearby Grainger Street.

Existing Poundworld, Grainger Street, Newcastle

Though Poundworld has snapped up a few ex-Woolies locations – such as the store I visited in West Ealing last year – I’m wondering whether the large Newcastle site might, in fact, become a branch of Poundworld’s recently launched multi-price fascia, Discount UK?

Discount UK (former Woolworths), Middlesbrough (4 May 2011)

Regular readers may well recall that Discount UK opened up in the old Woolworths in Middlesbrough’s Hillstreet shopping centre (#1200) back in April, which I blogged about at the time. As I noted then, I was quite impressed – Discount UK is a much more upmarket looking store than Poundworld itself, and the Middlesbrough shop is really nicely done out inside using a palette of black, white and pink.

The formula certainly seems to be working. Another ten or so stores have opened since Middlesbrough, bringing the total to 13, and a Guardian report a month ago suggested that a further 15 sites would be added to the chain – described by buying director Chris Edwards as a “modern multi-price format” that is intended to “step into [Woolworths'] shoes”.

Discount UK flyer (from Hillstreet website)

Crucially, Poundworld typically requires a ground-floor sales area of between 4,000 and 12,000 sq ft for its eponymous stores, and when its 12,500 sq ft Nottingham store opened in August 2009 this was reported to be the chain’s largest store to date. In comparison, the old Clayton Street Woolies, at 16,293 sq ft, is a fair bit larger than Poundland would normally require – but similar, I suspect, to the size of the existing Discount UK in Middlesbrough.

Interestingly, my last paragraph in that May blog about the Middlesbrough store may yet prove to be unusually prescient:

“I hope the store does well, and encourages the chain to consider further North East sites. In Discount UK, it could be that we’ve finally found the perfect candidate for the still-vacant ex-Woolies in Newcastle city centre: a business whose presence would greatly improve the appearance of that part of Clayton Street, while still being a great fit with – and footfall driver for – the street’s value credentials.”

Four months on, I definitely stand by that earlier sentiment. Though Newcastle’s Woolies was undoubtedly tired and in desperate need of TLC, there’s no doubt that footfall in Clayton Street has suffered since the loss of its main anchor store nearly three years ago, on 27 December 2008.

The arrival of Discount UK – or even, if it turns out that way, the country’s hugest Poundworld – could be just what Clayton Street needs to get its retail mojo back.

Former Woolworths, Hitchin (22 Sep 2011). Photograph by Steve Hack

Earlier in the week I mentioned how the former Woolworths in Newquay had been divided up between Poundland and Peacocks. Now the same process is underway in Hitchin (store #452).

Steve Hack sent me this photograph that he took in the historic Hertfordshire town yesterday, showing the development of both stores well underway. While Peacocks has a poster on the hoardings announcing its arrival, Poundland’s impending opening – set for Thursday next week (29 September) – is given away by the distinctive turquoise paintwork that now adorns the other half of the property.

Poster at Peacocks, Hitchin (22 Sep 2011). Photograph by Steve Hack

Though I’ve never visited Hitchin, my understanding is that it’s rather an upmarket town, with lots of independent shops and cafés and a low number of empty stores.

As Poundland continues to widen its target demographic and approaches a store count of 350 – double the number that existed just three years ago – it’s clear that the chain’s juggernaut of growth shows no sign of slowing down yet.

Former Woolworths (now Poundland), Truro (21 Feb 2011)

Having visited and photographed nearly 150 ex-Woolworths sites in the last three years (including 17 in the last week alone) – 50 of which are yet to feature in the blog – it’s about time I did some catching up.

Earlier in the year I wrote about two of the Woolworths stores in Cornwall that had disappeared long before the retailer’s 2008 collapse: Redruth (store #813), which seemingly closed in the 1980s and is now Superdrug; and Launceston (#812), which became one of the chain’s earliest closures when it shut its doors on 9 June 1973, and has had at least three occupants since. I also mentioned the ex-Big W, just outside Redruth, which lasted only from 2000 to 2005 and was subsequently taken over by Tesco.

Former Woolworths, Launceston (21 Feb 2011)

What has become, however, of the ten Cornish stores that were still trading at the end – six of which I managed to visit back in February?

From the launch of the inaugural UK Woolworths shop on 5 November 1909, Cornwall had to wait more than eighteen years for its first Woolies to arrive: the store in St Austell (#291), which opened its doors in November 1927 and is now Poundland. However, more followed quickly after that, with both Camborne (#304; 24-26 Trelowarren St) and Falmouth (#306; 19-20 Market Street) opening the following year.

Former Woolworths (now Poundstretcher), Camborne (20 Feb 2011)

Regular readers will recognise the distinctive architectural style of the Camborne shop immediately, as it features all the hallmarks of the Woolies 1920s house style that I’ve highlighted many times before. However, rather like the Woolworths store in Llandudno (#269) or the original Redcar Woolies (#275), Camborne’s gained a side extension at some point in time – adding useful space, clearly, but detracting from the frontage’s appealing symmetry.

Less than a year after Woolworths’ collapse, the site was taken over by Poundstretcher. However, like in North Berwick (#804), the retention of the distinctive shopfront and black granite stall riser ensures that a bit of Woolies heritage lives on.

Former Woolworths, Falmouth (19 Feb 2011)

In Falmouth, meanwhile, more of Woolies lives on than the local council and shoppers might have wished: the property is yet to find a new occupant, and its Woolworths signage remains in place.

My friend Stu Wrigley sent me an updated shot from earlier this month (below), but apart from the addition of some hanging baskets little seems to have changed since February. Window displays installed by the town’s Business Improvement District (BID) team last year ensure that the building’s negative visual impact is reduced, but the obvious presence of a prominent, still-empty Woolies – now one of a dwindling number, three years on – is not really a first impression any town would wish to make.

Former Woolworths, Falmouth (3 Sep 2011). Photograph by Stu Wrigley

It’s surprising too, as the property is in a good location, and both Falmouth and the ex-Woolies building have significant charm. Since the 1950s view below, the insertion of a later shopfront and clumsily proportioned fascia have done the Falmouth store few architectural favours, but it remains at its heart a handsome and imposing property, not too dissimilar to the slightly earlier store in Chester-le-Street (#267) that now houses B&M Bargains.

1950s postcard of Falmouth Woolworths

Perhaps Falmouth’s ex-Woolies will have to wait until B&M makes its way to Cornwall – probably some way off given that the retailer has not yet expanded into the West Country.

Former Woolworths (now Poundland), Penzance (20 Feb 2011)

During the 1930s, Cornwall gained another trio of Woolworths stores: in Bodmin (#569; now Iceland), Liskeard (#623; now Superdrug) and Penzance (#651), the last of which I was able to visit. The store, at 106-108 Market Jew Street, is a curious pedimented twist on the usual Woolies look, though its transformation into Poundland – one of the most prolific occupants of ex-Woolworths premises – is less of a surprise. One half of a fourth Cornish Woolies from the late 1930s – in Newquay (#730) – also now hosts a Poundland store, with the remaining portion occupied by the fashion retailer Peacocks.

Former Woolworths (now Poundland), Truro (21 Feb 2011)

The onset of the Second World War – and the resulting ten-year hiatus in Woolworths store openings – meant that no more Cornish stores opened until the 1950s, with the aforementioned Launceston and Redruth quickly followed by Truro (#836).

Here, again, Poundland has taken advantage of the opportunity presented by Woolworths’ demise. It initially took over the whole of the large ex-Woolworths site on a short-term lease, with the intention of taking a smaller unit on a more permanent basis once the property was divided up. Its store now occupies the building’s prime frontage at 13-15 Princes Street (which clearly predates Woolworths’ arrival), while the Lemon Quay side has been taken over by Cotswold Outdoor.

Former Woolworths (now Cotswold Outdoor), Truro (21 Feb 2011)

In St Ives (#863), another expanding outdoor retailer – Mountain Warehouse – has taken over part of the space vacated by Woolworths at 35-37 Fore Street.

Former Woolworths (now Mountain Warehouse), St Ives (20 Feb 2011)

The five-storey property is quite unusual for an ex-Woolworths in that it’s built into a steep hillside with access on two sides; this has allowed it to be divided in half horizontally following Woolies’ closure, but with both the upper and lower units retaining street-level access. While Mountain Warehouse on the second and third floors fronts the busy shopping thoroughfare of Fore Street, the two-storey harbourside unit below houses Pizza Express (still under construction when I visited, but now completed).

Former Woolworths (now Pizza Express), St Ives (20 Feb 2011)

Reduth’s Big W aside, the final Woolworths to open in Cornwall was the store in the attractive town of Helston (#920), in 1956. Located at 31-33 Coinagehall Street, the property was only empty for a few months before being taken over by The Original Factory Shop in July 2009.

Former Woolworths (now The Original Factory Shop), Helston (20 Feb 2011)

So, of the ten Cornish Woolworths stores that closed following Woolworths’ collapse, only the one in Falmouth remains vacant – but with a ground-floor sales area of 6,864 sq ft, the store isn’t so huge that it should be putting off potential occupants.

With many of the takers of Woolies stores elsewhere in the county not yet represented in Falmouth, local traders and shoppers will surely be hoping that Poundland, Poundstretcher or The Original Factory Shop steps in to the breach before long.

Wellchester's Claire Robertson (8 Sep 2011)

For someone who makes a habit of visiting old Woolworths – and I’ve racked up about 140 so far – there can be few ex-Woolies sites more celebrated than the one in Dorchester (store #403).

The story is well known: former Woolworths store manager Claire Robertson was hailed as a heroine of the downturn when she reopened her old shop as Wellworths, gave most of the staff their jobs back, and became a TV documentary star and chum of radio DJ Chris Evans. In turn, Claire’s actions paved the way for other ‘sons of Woolies’ to be born – including Smallworths in Selsdon, Wee W in Stornaway, and the shortlived Alworths chain – while Chelmsford’s Faith girls were inspired to (briefly) reincarnate their collapsed store as Hope.

Wellchester (with old signage) in Dorchester (8 Sep 2011)

Two-and-a-half years later, Wellworths remains a fixture on Dorchester’s South Street, though today (16 September) marks the start of a new chapter as it rebrands itself to Wellchester.

As I reported back in November, the move was necessitated by Shop Direct – owner of the Woolworths trademark since the chain’s collapse – who argued that the Wellworths brand was too similar to its own, and insisted that Claire curtail any expansion plans if she wished to retain the use of the name. Rather than face this limitation, the new Wellchester brand was born – celebrating the place where the business started, while still ensuring that it can be known as Wellies for short.

New and old logos

A week before the relaunch, I finally visited (the then) Wellworths to meet Claire and to take a guided tour around her store. Well used to dealing with the media by now, Claire is as delightful and professional as you’d expect, and her passion – for her staff, for her store, for Dorchester, and for retail in general – comes across strongly. I also detected a steely determination and a sense of not taking any nonsense – surely a valuable combination of assets for anyone seeking to build a fledgling retail business into a long-term success.

Almost since Wellworths was first launched, the media has speculated about possible expansion for the business. Claire confirmed to me that she is on the lookout for additional sites in the Dorset area, and has one or two locations in mind, though nothing suitable has become available as yet. It’s clear, however, that making the Dorchester store as successful as possible – and avoiding an Alworths-style overexpansion – remains Claire’s focus.

Pick 'n' mix at Wellchester (8 Sep 2011)

The store itself is an interesting mix of the old and new. On the shopfloor, the wooden flooring, ex-Woolies shelving and core product categories – such as toys, stationery, homewares and the iconic pick ‘n’ mix – ensure that Wellies retains a distinct whiff of Woolies.

Kitchenware aisle at Wellchester (8 Sep 2011)

The generally professional feel of the instore signage, visual merchandising and shelf labelling also gives the impression of a business that is much larger than just a single store.

A bit of Woolies heritage at Wellies (8 Sep 2011)

Upstairs, in the staff and stockroom areas, the Woolworths heritage is more explicit. Claire pointed out the old noticeboard outside the staff room, which retains its Woolies logo and the slightly odd strapline ‘People serving people’ – presumably a fairly fundamental principle for any retailer.

Wellchester's stockroom, Dorchester (8 Sep 2011)

Meanwhile, in the stockroom, Claire revealed that most product categories are stored in the same locations as they were in the Woolworths days, and that staff often still refer to them by their Woolies department numbers. Old habits, it would seem, die hard!

Yet for all the reminders of the past, Claire’s tailoring of ranges for the local market ensures that Wellies has grown into a store that feels very much a part of its community and has developed a personality of its own. Some of this is no doubt down to Claire’s own prominence and visibility; while I was touring the shopfloor with her, for example, she was approached by a customer who clearly knew who she was and wanted her to direct them to the shoe polish aisle.

Inside Wellchester (8 Sep 2011)

As Claire took me around her store, many of the most interesting stories related to how the shop’s ranges have been tweaked over time in response to customer demand, with new categories introduced, and some established ones expanded or reduced. Claire highlighted this as one of the big differences between Woolies and Wellies – moving from a format where store managers had limited power over the products that customers were offered, to one where Claire and her team can respond decisively if categories are underperforming or show further potential.

Groceries at Wellchester (8 Sep 2011)

Near the tills, for example, Claire has recently introduced a small range of groceries from Booker’s Euro Shopper value range. This features everyday products such as tinned foods, biscuits and jams, and is apparently proving popular.

Entertainment and confectionery at Wellchester (8 Sep 2011)

Though always a staple of Woolworths’ offer, entertainment is another category that Claire chose not to bring in at Wellies in the beginning, but has subsequently introduced in response to customer demand. The primary reason for not stocking CDs and DVDs to start with – the wafer-thin margins on chart product – remains an issue, and Claire highlighted how a new DVD can be cheaper to buy at Tesco than it is from her supplier. However, she noted that the popularity of the store’s back-catalogue ranges takes off some of the pressure to stock every new release.

Computer accessories at Wellchester (8 Sep 2011)

Another recent arrival is the computer accessories department, introduced on a concession basis but fully integrated into the overall look and feel of the store. This has apparently been more successful than expected, and is going to be expanded further in the coming weeks.

Picture frames at Wellchester (not stationery...) (8 Sep 2011)

One department that I was bound to ask about was picture frames, which everyone remembers from the 2009 How Woolies Became Wellies documentary on BBC One. The programme charted the run-up to the store’s opening and Claire’s recruitment of a young buyer – since departed from the company – who memorably filled an entire aisle with picture frames of every size and type. Happily, his legacy lives on in what Claire admitted is one of the store’s most popular product categories, recently supplemented with a small range of canvas prints.

Childrens' clothing at Wellchester (8 Sep 2011)

Children’s clothing, in contrast, is an area that Claire highlighted as performing less well than hoped. Like entertainment, it was another ex-Woolies staple that Wellworths hadn’t initially stocked, but later introduced in response to customers’ requests. I noticed that items were being cleared at 40% off marked prices, and Claire told me that she plans to focus more attention on childrens’ accessories – such as gloves and socks – which have performed more strongly for the store to date.

Wellworths-branded hardware products (8 Sep 2011)

When I visited the store, preparations were already underway for today’s relaunch, and, contrary to what you might expect, Claire explained that the cost of switching names will be relatively low. For example, the store’s business card and letterhead supplies were already running out, while its Wellworths-branded hardware products will be replaced with Wellchester ones as stock is sold through. 

The retention of the logo’s existing typeface and orange and blue colour scheme means that the window vinyls and instore signage – which features the corporate colours, but not the store name – do not have to be changed, and even at the front of the store, the ‘Well-’ half of the fascia can be kept with only the ‘-worths’ part replaced. At the same time, Claire is using the relaunch as an opportunity to tidy up the store’s rear service entrance on Trinity Street, adding signage where previously there was none.

Rear of Wellchester, Dorchester (8 Sep 2011)

Overall then, I was pretty impressed with what Claire and her team have achieved at Wellies. It’s a good-looking, well-stocked store, with many attractive and keenly priced products. Indeed, most things about it – from the product to the presentation – are much better than the slightly disappointing Alworths (now long gone) that I visited in Amersham last year.

Importantly, Claire and the other staff also seem to have a great team dynamic, and exude a real sense of enjoying their work – perhaps not too surprising, given their history of working together back in the Woolworths days.

Inside Wellchester (8 Sep 2011)

Most crucially of all, perhaps, Wellies was busy with shoppers for the full hour and a half that I was there. When Claire first launched Wellworths in 2009, she made the point that Woolworths in Dorchester had always been profitable, and it’s easy to see why. There’s no doubt that the store benefits both from its great location at the heart of Dorchester’s main thoroughfare – next to Marks & Spencer and opposite the independent department store Goulds – as well as from limited local competition in quite a few of its product categories.

Dorchester's busy South Street (8 Sep 2011)

However, in evolving Wellworths into Wellchester over the last two-and-a-half years, Claire seems to have avoided the trap of taking any success for granted, or of coasting along on the back of the store’s celebrity. Through decisive management and the hard work of all its staff, Wellchester has grown – and is still growing – into a store of which both Claire and Dorchester can be proud, and that performs a valuable function on the town’s high street.

Existing Waitrose in Tudor Arcade, Dorchester (8 Sep 2011)

Challenges lie ahead, for sure. Nationally, the economic situation is still flaky, while in Dorchester itself, Simons Developments’ Charles Street Project – set to feature 20 new shops and a replacement Waitrose – will bring both opportunities and competition for the town’s established retailers. Equally, any new Wellchester stores will need to respond to their local communities’ needs in just the way that Wellies in Dorchester has.

However, having met Claire, I certainly wouldn’t bet against her achieving her retail ambitions. Today is a new start for Wellchester, and it will be fascinating to see where it goes next.

New Poundstretcher, Llandudno (8 Jun 2011). Photograph by Dave Roberts

Many thanks to my North Wales contact, Dave Roberts, who has sent me a photo of the former Alworths store in Llandudno being converted into a Poundstretcher.

When Poundstretcher’s purchase of 15 failed Alworths stores was announced last month, the stores in Llandudno – which was briefly seized by bailiffs in March – and Evesham were the only ones in Alworths’ 17-strong estate to miss out.

However, it seems that there’s subsequently been a change of plan in the North Wales seaside town, with new Poundstretcher signage now installed and the old Alworths branding removed from around the doors.

As Dave observes, there’s already a smallish Poundstretcher shop in nearby Upper Mostyn Street, and his assumption is that it will close once the new, larger store opens.

Upper Mostyn Street, Llandudno (25 Sep 2009)

However, there’s always a possibility that Poundstretcher will adopt a similar approach to in Swadlincote, where the converted Alworths holds all the convenience lines such as food, drink and some household goods, and the larger, established store opposite focuses on DIY, garden and furnishings.

Swadlincote's two Poundstretchers (2 Jun 2011). Photograph by Martin Jarvis

Llandudno’s ex-Woolworths site now has the slightly unusual distinction of being on its third incarnation since Woolies’ 2008 demise, with Publishers Book Clearance (complete with lost apostrophe) and Alworths both having been and gone in that time.

Former Woolworths as Publishers Book Clearance, Llandudno (25 Sep 2009)

Closing down sale at Alworths in Llandudno (4 Mar 2011). Photograph by Dave Roberts

Still, the fact that the property has stayed empty for very little time over this period is surely a positive reflection on Llandudno’s appeal as a shopping and visitor destination.

It’s heartening that even in a difficult economic climate for retailers, there are still plenty of growing businesses willing and ready to snap up the right sites in the right locations.

UPDATE, 23 June 2011: After all that, it looks like Poundstretcher ISN’T taking over the site after all – it’s reported that the landlord is doing a deal with Tesco instead.

Discount UK (former Woolworths), Middlesbrough (4 May 2011)

Down on Teesside last week, I’d only really planned to have a quick look around Middlesbrough while waiting for my connecting bus to Redcar. However, I was startled to notice that the ex-Woolies (and ex-Waremart) unit in the town’s Hillstreet shopping centre had acquired a new occupant – a variety store called Discount UK – which has apparently been open since 23 April.

Regular readers will recall that when I first visited Middlesbrough in September 2009, the large ex-Woolworths site (store #1200) was occupied, on a short-term lease, by a discount variety retailer, Waremart.

The same unit in use as Waremart (17 Sep 2009)

However, by January 2010 Waremart had gone, with the unit remaining empty throughout last year.

Former Woolworths and Waremart, Middlesbrough (28 Jun 2010)

I’d never come across Discount UK before seeing it in Middlesbrough, but it seems that it’s a new multi-price fascia from Poundworld – a way, self-evidently, of allowing the single-price retailer to sell products costing more than £1, and to therefore increase the average basket size. To date, Poundworld has acquired several ex-Woolies locations for its eponymous stores, including the West Ealing branch that I visited back in November.

Poundworld store, West Ealing (24 Nov 2010)

There’s no information on store locations on Discount UK’s website holding page, but from what I can gather there are also stores in Leeds and Stevenage, with another dozen planned for 2011. The Stevenage store, opened in January this year, is apparently housed in premises that had been empty since Littlewoods left in 2005.

Screenshot of DiscountUK website (8 May 2011)

Retail Week’s article about Discount UK quotes the chain’s boss describing it as an “up-to-date Woolies, with a vibrant look and more choice and value”, and based on my visit to the Middlesbrough store it’s hard to argue with that assessment. Where Waremart was essentially camping out in a space that still looked and felt like a Woolworths, Discount UK has completely transformed it, the palette of black, white and pink giving the store a much smarter and more upmarket feel than its value competitors, such as B&M Bargains or Family Bargains (99p Stores’ own take on the multi-price format), or indeed Poundworld’s eponymous stores.

Discount UK flyer (from Hillstreet website)

Discount UK seems like a strong addition to the Primark-anchored retail offer at Hillstreet, and was certainly busy with shoppers when I visited last Wednesday morning. It’s also a great solution to the question of what to do with Middlesbrough’s old Woolworths, given that virtually all the other takers of large ex-Woolies sites – such as Peacocks, New Look, TK Maxx, TJ Hughes, Poundland, Next and Wilkinson – were represented in the town already.

Back of Hillstreet - minus its Woolies sign (4 May 2011)

...and with the sign still in place six months ago (16 Nov 2010)

One positive side-effect of the chain’s arrival is that the Woolworths sign at the rear of the store – present throughout Waremart’s stay – has finally been taken down, reinforcing the sense that Discount UK has invested in Middlesbrough for the long term.

I hope the store does well, and encourages the chain to consider further North East sites. In Discount UK, it could be that we’ve finally found the perfect candidate for the still-vacant ex-Woolies in Newcastle city centre: a business whose presence would greatly improve the appearance of that part of Clayton Street, while still being a great fit with – and footfall driver for – the street’s value credentials.

If it comes off, don’t forget that you heard it here first…

Poundstretcher fascia, Camborne (20 Feb 2011)

Amid the gloom of Alworths’ collapse into administration last month, it seems that there’s now some good news. Retail Week is reporting that Alworths’ variety store rival, Poundstretcher, has bought 15 of the failed chain’s 17 stores.

Only the Llandudno and Evesham Alworths stores miss out – Poundstretcher already has a presence in the Welsh resort, and has recently been advertising jobs at what will presumably be a new store in the Worcestershire town.

Closing down sale at Alworths in Llandudno (4 Mar 2011). Photograph by Dave Roberts

The outcome seems like a positive result, saving the majority of Alworths’ jobs, and preventing the reappearance of empty stores on the high streets concerned. Indeed, the purchase includes several Alworths stores that had actually already closed their doors in the last few weeks.

The widely used ‘son of Woolworths’ tag reflected Alworths’ name and business model, as well as the fact that most – though not all – of its stores were former Woolies sites. Several more recent openings, including Newark, Maidenhead and Alloa, took over premises vacated following the collapse of the fashion chain Ethel Austin.

For Poundstretcher, the deal adds to the collection of ex-Woolworths stores that it has acquired already, which stretch from Scotland (North Berwick, Edinburgh) to Cornwall (Camborne) and Northern Ireland.

Former Woolworths (now Poundstretcher), North Berwick (2 May 2010)

The fact remains, of course, that Poundstretcher is itself a lossmaking business. Back in July, I remarked that Poundstretcher’s parent company had racked up total pre-tax losses of more than £33m across the previous four years, and Retail Week has subsequently argued that the chain faces an “uphill struggle” to compete against “an impressive array of apparently more sophisticated and profitable value players.”

Former Woolworths (now Poundstretcher), Camborne (20 Feb 2011)

Today, we can certainly celebrate the good news of Poundstretcher’s acquisition of Alworths. However, the really hard work will be Poundstretcher proving that its business model is still viable, relevant and – crucially – profitable.

Full list of Alworths stores acquired by Poundstretcher:

• Alloa
• Bellshill
• Cosham
• Cupar
• Didcot
• Forfar
• Hertford
• Maidenhead
• Newark
• Newhaven
• New Milton
• Swadlincote
• Tiverton
• Warminster
• Wokingham.

'Notice of Peaceable Re-entry' at Alworths, Llandudno (7 Mar 2011). Photograph by Dave Roberts

Following a weekend of speculation about the future of ‘son of Woolworths’ chain Alworths, events have taken a further turn today with the news that bailiffs have seized the chain’s Llandudno store.

The ‘Notice of Peaceable Re-entry’ (above – click to enlarge), photographed for Soult’s Retail View by Dave Roberts, cites the business’s “failure to pay rent due” as well as “breach of Clause 35.1 (c.111) as provided for in the lease.”

This clause, according to the notice, relates to “the giving of any notice of intention to appoint an administrator, or the filing at court of the prescribed documents in connection with the appointment of an administrator, in any case in relation to the tenant or the guarantor.” This would seem to add weight to Retail Week’s article from Friday, which broke the news of Alworths’ apparent difficulties and speculated that a pre-pack administration may be on the cards.

Closing down sale at Alworths in Llandudno (4 Mar 2011). Photograph by Dave Roberts

According to Dave, the bailiffs changed the Llandudno store’s locks, with all of Alworths’ stock and fittings still inside. Only a few days ago, at least three Alworths stores – in Alloa and Evesham, as well as Llandudno – launched closing down sales, captured by Dave (above) on Friday. It’s not yet clear whether any other stores within the 17-strong chain have been subject to re-entry proceedings today.

Whatever happens next, it’s a sad and disappointing situation for a business that had promised to replicate the best bits of Woolworths while avoiding its predecessors’ pitfalls. It’s also clearly unsettling for the chain’s hardworking staff, many of whom are ex-Woolies workers and have already been through one retail collapse.

As my 18 Alworths-tagged posts testify, I’ve been consistently supportive of what Alworths has tried to achieve, and many of its business decisions have – at least outwardly – seemed sensible.

Woolworths, for example, tended to struggle with its larger stores in bigger town and city centres, but was often a key retailer in smaller communities – those places where it was the only shop in town to sell buttons, DVDs or toys. On this basis, Alworths’ decision to open relatively compact shops (less than 10,000 sq ft) in predominantly small, market town locations appeared logical.

Equally, where Woolworths struggled under its big corporate structure and relative inability to respond to local variations, Alworths’ head office has always appeared to be a leaner, nippier operation.

The now-closed Alworths in Amersham (14 May 2010)

Perhaps most importantly, the Alworths brand seemed to be gaining recognition and popularity within the communities served by its stores – always, you might argue, one of the most powerful assets of the defunct Woolworths.

However, none of this counts for anything if the business can’t make money, and the absence of recent updates from Alworths – whether in terms of store announcements, tweets or website content – can be seen, in hindsight, as a clue to all not being well.

Closing down sale at Alworths in Llandudno (4 Mar 2011). Photograph by Dave Roberts

Over the coming days and weeks, it will no doubt become clearer whether Alworths has a future, and what form that might take. Retail Week’s article last week cited documents filed at Companies House, which showed that Alworths boss Andy Latham had resigned as a director of the company.

In turn, it reported that a new company – Retail Acquisitions, with Latham as one of its directors – had been set up, and was “expected to take control of Alworths.” However, history – such as the experiences of Vergo Retail and Ethel Austin – has showed us that former owners buying back collapsed businesses under a new name have a patchy record of success.

Understanding what has gone wrong with Alworths this time will be critical, if the same mistakes – whatever they turn out to be – are not simply to be repeated. Indeed, what makes the present episode most surprising is that Alworths’ public pronouncements have consistently suggested that the chain was trading strongly.

While Claire Robertson’s tweets give every indication that Dorchester’s Wellworths is still thriving, Alworths’ woes will raise questions over how far a ‘son of Woolworths’ formula can be resurrected at a national rather than a shop-by-shop level.

My friend and fellow retail blogger Steve Dresser, reacting on Twitter, remarked that “Woolworths failed due to it not being a practical business – Alworths was hardly going to be different.” Current events suggest that he may well be right.

UPDATE, 9 March 2011: I understand that Alworths in Llandudno is open again today, after being closed Monday and Tuesday. Presumably the unpaid rent has been sorted?

B&M fascia

Many thanks to Lee Dymond and Martin, who both emailed me about the news of B&M Bargains opening in the former Woolworths store in Burton, Staffordshire. As I mentioned last month, the 11,000 sq ft Coopers Square unit has remained empty since Woolworths’ closure more than two years ago, but this has always seemed surprising given the shop’s busy location in a relatively modern indoor mall environment.

The news merely reinforces B&M’s status as one of the real profiters from Woolworths’ collapse, having snapped up tens of ex-Woolies stores across the country, including the one in nearby Lichfield.

Former Woolworths (now B&M Bargains), Lichfield (30 Sep 2010)

In the North East too, B&M has been rapidly expanding its presence by mopping up space that would never normally have become available, including large units in Stockton town centre, Whitley Bay and Chester-le-Street and, most recently, a portion of the old Big W at Portrack Lane.

B&M Bargains (former Woolworths), Chester-le-Street (24 Jan 2011)

Back in August, The Local Data Company suggested that 150 ex-Woolworths stores “may never be used as shops again” – a figure that, if true, would equate to almost one fifth of the former Woolies store estate.

I’ve always been slightly sceptical of these pessimistic projections, particularly given that my own research shows that 88% (45) of the 51 ex-Woolies sites across the North East, Cumbria and North Yorkshire have already been reoccupied for retail use.

Though the initial flood of new occupants for ex-Woolies sites has inevitably dwindled as the number of available sites reduces, B&M’s takeover of the Burton unit shows that demand has not yet dried up. Indeed, news reports from across the UK over the last few weeks show other discount retailers still on the ex-Woolies acquisition trail, such as The Original Factory Shop in Bargoed and the son-of-Ethel-Austin chain Life & Style in Swansea.

Former Woolworths, Clayton Street, Newcastle (27 Sep 2009)

Of the six former Woolies locations that remain empty in the North East, four – Peterlee, Wallsend, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough – already have a B&M store in the town centre or on a nearby retail park. However, with B&M Bargains not yet having a presence in Newcastle city centre, it wouldn’t surprise me if the vacant Clayton Street Woolies site was a target for the retailer in the coming months.

Despite the nearby extension of Eldon Square, and the recent arrival of some interesting independent shops and restaurants, Clayton Street remains very much a secondary, discount-led location, with Poundstretcher, charity shops, nail bars and the ubiquitous BrightHouse among its main draws.

With its in-your-face signage and minimal shop makeovers, B&M Bargains is not everyone’s first choice as a Woolies replacement. However, no-one can dispute the business’s recent success, and it’s certainly time for something to liven up a stretch of Clayton Street that has been empty and lifeless for far too long.

Boyes, Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland (24 Jan 2011)

The last time I visited Bishop Auckland was nearly a year ago, when the County Durham town’s former Woolworths (store #116) showed little sign of securing a new occupant. A few months later, of course, the Scarborough-based variety retailer Boyes announced it was taking over the Newgate Street site, before opening its doors back in November. Passing through the town again today, I was therefore keen to check out Boyes’ transformation of the old Woolies store.

Boyes, Bishop Auckland (24 Jan 2011)

The same view a year ago (6 Feb 2010)

As you would expect, having the shop open again has had a positive impact on the appearance of that part of Newgate Street, though seemingly not soon enough to save the independent fashion shop Pinc, next door, which has closed down since my previous visit.

While Boyes has retained the Woolies shopfront, the bright new fascia and a clean-up of the building’s upper floors ensure that the property makes a fresh and appealing first impression.

Rear view, Boyes, Bishop Auckland (24 Jan 2011)

Inside, the store is much bigger than I expected, extending a long way back as well as sideways behind the former Pinc shop. Though only on one floor, the shop is typical of Boyes in managing to cram a huge amount into a restricted space, including homewares, toiletries, stationery, toys, clothing, hardware, and a particularly extensive haberdashery department. The store is probably not much larger than Gateshead’s recently opened Poundland – another old Woolworths – but it feels as if there is two or three times the amount of stock on the shopfloor.

I’ve always been curious to know whether newly opened Boyes stores have the same, rather chaotic air as the retailer’s more established shops; however, it certainly seems to be the case that merchandise at Bishop Auckland is displayed in a slightly more orderly fashion than some of the other Boyes I’ve been to, such as Barnard Castle or Scarborough. Still, the TK Maxx-style rummage sale feel is surely an integral part of Boyes’ quirky and vaguely old-fashioned appeal.

When I was there (a Monday lunchtime), the store was not really crowded but seemed to be doing a brisk trade, with a small queue of customers waiting at the cash desk.

In losing their local Woolworths – and often gaining a supermarket – many shoppers elsewhere have lost the ability to buy certain types of goods within their own town centre.

In Bishop Auckland, in contrast, Boyes is probably the best possible replacement for Woolies, stocking many of the same types of product as Woolworths while introducing useful new ones. Boyes’ arrival can only be good news for the future of Bishop Auckland as a retail centre – and hopefully the town’s shoppers will ensure that the store becomes a roaring success.

Former Woolworths (now Sports Direct), Stafford (30 Sep 2010)

The more former Woolworths stores I blog about, the more predictable it gets that I’ll be mentioning now-familiar discount names such as B&M Bargains, Home Bargains, Poundland or Sports Direct. 

Previously in Staffordshire, I’ve reported on the new occupants of Tamworth’s old Woolworths stores in the town centre (now Home Bargains) and at Ventura Park, and twice visited the old Woolies in Burton’s Cooper’s Square mall – still empty when I returned last month.  

Old Market Hall, Rugeley (30 Sep 2010)

Back in September I was able to mop up a few more old Woolworths stores in Staffordshire, kicking off with the historic market town of Rugeley. Despite spending my childhood in Tamworth, barely 15 miles away, I’d never paid a proper visit to Rugeley before. Though the dreary bus station barely leaves a good initial impression, Rugeley’s compact town centre is quite pleasant, with more interesting buildings – including the gorgeous old Market Hall – than you might expect. 

Former Woolworths (now Peacocks), Rugeley (30 Sep 2010)

Rugeley’s old Woolworths in Lower Brook Street (store #586) – pictured here in its former guise - is right at the heart of the town centre, and has been occupied by the fashion retailer Peacocks since early last year. 

Up the road, shopping in the county town of Stafford is centred around the attractive, pedestrianised Gaolgate Street, where I was pleased to see a Co-op department store still going strong. 

Co-op department store, Stafford (30 Sep 2010)

Stafford’s Co-op is owned by the Midlands Co-operative Society, which is now the second largest retail Co-op in the country (after the Co-operative Group), and has maintained a significant non-food operation at the same time as other co-ops have closed down all their department stores. 

The Stafford store’s viability is surely helped by its prominent location, a ‘Stafford Department Store’ brand that cannily emphasises its localness (seemingly a Midland’s Co-op trait, as I noted previously that the Coalville store adopts a similar approach), and the absence of any department store competition in the town. 

Though the nearby indoor mall – the Guildhall Shopping Centre – hosts more than 40 shops, I was struck by its curious lack of a major anchor store, the nearest thing being the large but oddly laid-out JJB store on the first floor. I know Debenhams is perhaps becoming too ubiquitous across the UK, but the Guildhall did feel to me like a shopping centre missing a Debenhams. 

Former Woolworths (now Sports Direct), Stafford (30 Sep 2010)

At the other end of the town, the open-air Gaolgate Place shopping precinct is very much based around a discount offer, and this is where Stafford’s former Woolworths (store #320) can be found. Sports Direct is the new occupant, though only on a short lease judging from the seemingly temporary signs stuck over the original Woolworths ones.

Market Place, Cannock (30 Sep 2010)

The nearby town of Cannock was another place that I’d never visited before. Though the part-covered Cannock Shopping Centre lacks character, I liked the busy and appealing Market Place, which had the feel of being the town’s real heart.

Former Woolworths (now Poundland), Cannock (30 Sep 2010)

Facing the Market Place, Cannock’s old Woolies (store #609) is yet another site that has been picked up by Poundland. As in Scarborough, it seems that not everyone was happy about Poundland taking over one of the town’s largest units, though the one million sales registered in the shop’s first three months would seem to tell a different story.

Rear of former Woolworths (now Poundland), Cannock (30 Sep 2010)

I previously mentioned Lichfield when the URL for Newcastle’s Monument Mall shopping centre was erroneously pointing at the site for Lichfield’s Three Spires. I’ve been to Lichfield many times before, and its very attractive city centre – packed with quaint streets and lovely buildings – always makes for an enjoyable visit.

Former Woolworths (now B&M Bargains), Lichfield (30 Sep 2010)

Unfortunately, Lichfield’s old Woolworths store (#376) is not one of the city centre’s most attractive buildings, but the arrival of B&M Bargains in 2009 at least ensured that it wasn’t empty for very long.

Rear of former Woolworths (now B&M Bargains), Lichfield (19 Mar 2010)

The more modern Three Spires shopping centre houses Lichfield’s only department store, TJ Hughes, though the city is set to gain a Debenhams if the delayed Friarsgate development ever gets off the ground. The latest design changes to the £100m scheme – reflecting the “changing market conditions” – are set to go on show to the public later this month, which perhaps bodes well for work finally getting underway before the current expiration of the planning consent in December next year.

In the coming months, any movement on mothballed retailed schemes such as Friarsgate will certainly be an important indicator of whether – and how quickly – the economy and the commercial property market is recovering after its last couple of years in the doldrums.

Boyes fascia

Boyes, the Scarborough-based variety retailer, has revealed that its latest store – in Bishop Auckland’s old Woolies premises – will open for business on Friday 19 November.

With Woolworths gone, Bishop Auckland’s retail focus has been in danger of gravitating too far towards the Newgate Centre and Marks & Spencer. However, the arrival of Boyes – a move apparently welcomed by other retailers in the town – should help to restore the balance by giving a boost to the southern end of Newgate Street.

Boyes site in Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland (6 Feb 2010)

Bishop Auckland is Boyes’ fourth store opening of 2010, bringing its total to 40 across Teesside, County Durham, Cumbria, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

In June, Boyes opened up on the former Woolworths site in Cleethorpes, closely followed, in August, by a new store in the old Sunwin House premises in Brighouse, West Yorkshire. Most recently, in October, a branch opened on the site of Ilkley’s former Westgate Department Store.

Though I understand that no more openings are imminent, Boyes has previously shown interest in expanding into Northumberland – coming close to opening a shop in Prudhoe – and on to Tyneside. With its eclectic, 30,000-strong product range – including household goods, DIY, clothing, homewares, toys and stationery – Boyes is a northern success story that could be just the tonic some of our region’s high streets need.

Shuttered Ethel Austin store

As variety chain Alworths celebrates its first birthday today, the opening of stores in Newark and Maidenhead has now been confirmed for later this month – and both will be in former Ethel Austin premises. 

While a rump of 90 Ethel Austin stores were saved in April, and are gradually being converted to a new ’Life & Style’ fascia, this is just a fraction of the 300 Ethel Austin shops that existed at the start of the year. Though not given anywhere near the same media attention as Woolworths, when it folded, Ethel Austin’s disappearance from the high street will nonetheless go down in history as one of the major retail collapses of this recession.

Indeed, with most Ethel Austin stores occupying secondary or small-town locations, the chain’s closure has, in many places, compounded the loss of Woolworths a year earlier, with Stockton among the shut-down Ethel Austin sites in the North East.

Former Ethel Austin, Stockton-on-Tees (28 Jun 2010)

If there’s a slight silver lining, it’s that the appearance of 200+ former Ethel Austin units on the market – just as the number of vacant Woolies dwindles – is apparently providing Alworths with a new source of potential store locations. The first, in Alloa, opened in July, and it seems unlikely that Newark and Maidenhead will be the last.

Snapping up Ethel Austin sites will allow Alworths to open up in locations where the old Woolies store is already occupied by somebody else, or even in places where there was never a Woolies in the first place, as well as conveying the important message that the retailer’s more than just a Woolies offshoot. Indeed, I was quite surprised to hear from Alworths that of the 237 members of staff that it employs, only 68 – less than a third – are ex-Woolies.

In the meantime, however, Alworths’ third confirmed opening for November – in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire – sticks to the old formula for the moment by opening up in former Woolworths premises.

Summing up Alworths’ first year, MD Andy Latham told Soult’s Retail View:

“It’s been an extremely busy 12 months. Many people questioned opening a new retail chain during very difficult economic times; however, it has proved to be a good year to launch a variety retailer into market towns.

“Local councils have welcomed us with open arms, as we’ve helped inject new life into many high streets where shops were shutting down. Landlords have been keen to do deals with us in order to fill the mounting number of empty shops, and best of all our customers have been delighted that they can buy music, DVDs, console games, home items, pic ‘n’ mix and children’s toys all in one store, on their local high street again.

“Ultimately, Alworths stores are for children and families and we go out of our way to cater for these markets. If we’re missing anything, we actively encourage our customers to tell us what we should be stocking – we don’t want to stand still and we appreciate that adapting to our customers’ needs is crucial to maintaining our presence on the high street. Over the past year the stores have exceeded our expectations – serving over 1 million customers and selling over 27,778,766 products – and we’re looking forward to trading 17 stores in the run up to Christmas, an extremely important time for us.” 

While Alworths’ long term strategy is to have a chain of 200 stores, there’s no confirmation, as yet, of the speculated about new shop in Lanark. However, the experience of the last year shows that local newspaper stories revealing potential new Alworths stores tend to have some truth in them – so expect an official announcement in the coming weeks…