Soult's Retail View

Former Woolworths (now Boots), Linthorpe Village (16 Nov 2010)

In parts 1 and 2 of this series, I’ve talked about the two incarnations of Middlesbrough’s flagship Woolworths (store #8) – firstly at 91-93 Linthorpe Road, and latterly at … Continue Reading

Former Woolworths (now Farmfoods), Hawick (29 May 2011)

With a visit to Edinburgh imminent – which will no doubt involve at least one or two Woolies-spotting detours – I figured it was time to do something with some previous Scottish photographs that I’ve had lurking in my archive.

The focus, then, of this post is the Scottish Borders – an area more than twice … Continue Reading

Former Woolworths, Felling (17 Jun 2010)

This is my 200th blog post since starting Soult’s Retail View back in July 2009, so it seems only appropriate for it to bring together two of my favourite topics – Woolworths and Tyneside!

Regular readers will recall that I’ve written about all … Continue Reading

Former Woolworths (now Boots), the Strand (6 Apr 2011)

With most of Woolworths’ stores in central London closed down by the 1980s, it’s easy to forget that the value-focused chain once rubbed shoulders with some of the Strand’s most upmarket and iconic names.

Opened in May 1925, Woolworths in the … Continue Reading

Former Woolworths (now Poundland), Warrington (27 Dec 2010). Photograph by Beth Anderson

With Woolworths having occupied something like 1,400 UK sites over the years, the chances of any one person having the time (or inclination) to track them all down is pretty slim. So, I’m always pleased when friends and colleagues help me out by snapping the occasional ex-Woolies that they … Continue Reading

Trinity Leeds logo (21 Jan 2011)

During my recent visit to Leeds city centre, one of the most visible retail developments was the ongoing construction work for Trinity Leeds, with cranes towering over the adjacent 18th century church that gives the new shopping scheme its name.

After a one-year hiatus caused by the economic downturn, … Continue Reading

Ashbourne town centre. Photograph by Roger Cornfoot

While the 807 stores that closed down following Woolworths’ 2008 collapse are well documented and relatively easy to find on the ground, tracking down stores that shut many years ago can be more challenging.

While some buildings, such as those in Crook, Seaham or … Continue Reading

Former Woolworths (now Boots), Crook (6 Nov 2010)

Imagine a small town whose Woolworths opened in the 1930s, closed in the 1970s, and is now occupied by Boots.

A town where, even all those years later, the building is instantly recognisable as a former Woolies.

A place where, in 2010, discount retailer The Original Factory Shop has to some extent assumed Woolies’ place as a variety store at the heart … Continue Reading

Façade of Woolworths' former Oxford Street flagship (24 Nov 2010)

Visiting London again this week, I was able to capture another clutch of locations that used to house Woolies stores more than a quarter of a century ago.

Last time I was in London, at the end of September, I photographed – and blogged about – the … Continue Reading

Former Woolworths, Whitby (16 Aug 2010)

As well as comprehensively exploring the North East, and making the occasional excursion into Cumbria or Scotland, I’ve also clocked a few of North Yorkshire’s former Woolworths stores over the last few months.

Assuming I haven’t missed any, … Continue Reading

Former Woolworths, Horley (4 Sep 2010)

During the summer, I’ve built up a veritable stack of photos of old Woolworths stores, from all kinds of places across the UK – not that you’d necessarily realise from my recent blogging output. That’s the trouble of fine weather – it’s just so tempting to head off and photograph interesting things, rather than staying inside and writing about them.

However, … Continue Reading

Mall plan showing Peacocks (screenshot from 4 Aug 2010)

I was interested to find out a few days ago that the fashion retailer Peacocks will soon be opening a store in my old home town of Tamworth, taking a prime spot within the town centre’s Ankerside mall.

Given that jobs in the store have been being advertised since June, and with the store … Continue Reading

Rothbury's High Street (13 February 2010)

It can hardly have escaped anyone’s notice that Rothbury, in Northumberland, has been the news centre of the UK this week, for reasons entirely outside the control of the town’s residents or businesses.

Though locals and visitors are assured that the area … Continue Reading

Market Cross, Barnard Castle (29 August 2009)

A visit to the delightful County Durham market town of Barnard Castle always lifts the spirits, even if the weather when I was last there in March was truly miserable.

For a town with a population of just over 5,000, Barnard Castle has a surprisingly strong retail offer – the consequence, no doubt, of it being the main settlement in Teesdale, and of the … Continue Reading

Monument Mall… in Lichfield

It’s always fun to find links between my current home of Tyneside and my previous one of Staffordshire – Tamworth playing Gateshead in the Blue Square Premier, for example – but the latest link is the most bizarre yet.

You may remember that, back in August, I remarked upon the outdated website for Newcastle’s Monument Mall shopping centre, … Continue Reading

Waitrose fascia

In recent weeks, hardly a day has gone by without some good news involving Waitrose – if it isn’t stellar sales figures, it’s been news about stocking 100% British own-brand dairy products, snapping up Duchy Originals, … Continue Reading

Clas Ohlson sign

With so many old Woolworths sites being taken over by familiar high street names and pound shops, it’s nice when the new arrival is something a little more interesting. So I was pleased to read that the Swedish “modern hardware brand” Clas Ohlson is going to be opening up in the former Woolies in Kingston upon Thames, and is also … Continue Reading