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Soult's Retail View

Archived blog posts (2009 to 2018) about shops on the high street and online, by North East-based retail consultant Graham Soult

Billingham town centre (28 Jun 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult 9

Property / Woolworths

July 22, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published July 22, 2010 · Last modified November 17, 2010

Ten minutes in Billingham town centre

Until a few weeks ago, Billingham on Teesside had been one of only three former North East Woolworths – out of the 33 that closed following its 2008...

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Llandudno from the Great Orme (20 Sep 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult 12

Property / Variety Stores / Woolworths

July 22, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published July 22, 2010 · Last modified May 7, 2018

Alworths comes to Llandudno

Well, that’s a coincidence. Having blogged about the former Woolworths in Llandudno just a couple of days ago, Alworths has announced today that it will...

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Former Woolworths, Caernarfon (July 2010). Photograph by Sally Daffarn 4

Property / Woolworths

July 20, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published July 20, 2010 · Last modified December 4, 2012

A postcard from Caernarfon’s closed down Woolies

I’m not quite sure if it should be a cause for celebration or urgent self-reflection when my friends start emailing over photographs of old Woolworths...

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Christmas decoration. Photograph by Graham Soult 1

Department Stores

July 18, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published July 18, 2010

Christmas comes early again at Selfridges

Today’s BBC News story about Selfridges’ imminent opening of its Christmas shop made me wonder whether I should just dust off and recycle my blog post...

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Alworths fascia. Photograph by Graham Soult 5

Market Towns / Property / Variety Stores / Woolworths

July 18, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published July 18, 2010 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Alworths confirms Alloa opening, and heads to Hertford and Tiverton

Following on from my blog post about Alworths opening in the Clackmannanshire town of Alloa, it has now been confirmed that the new store will open this week,...

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Cover of 'The Retail Doctor's Guide to Growing Your Business' 1

Book Reviews / Customer Service / Independent Stores / Marketing / Merchandising / Online

July 16, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published July 16, 2010 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Retail Doctor’s guide is a tonic for indie retailers, albeit with a US flavour

This post is something of a first for Soult’s Retail View – a proper book review! Before I talk about the book – which is the...

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Existing Kingston store. Photograph by Graham Soult 1

Brands / Financial / Overseas

July 16, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published July 16, 2010 · Last modified February 12, 2017

Unpacking Clas Ohlson’s 203% UK sales increase

The much-blogged-about Swedish hardware retailer Clas Ohlson published its sales figures for June yesterday. What’s interesting is that sales for the UK are now being stripped out from those of Finland,...

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Job ad for Wallis in Hexham 1

Department Stores / Fashion Stores / Market Towns

July 14, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published July 14, 2010 · Last modified November 13, 2016

Wallis to open concession in Robbs of Hexham

Delivering on its promise to bring quality concessions to its recently acquired Robbs of Hexham store, it seems that Beales has already signed up the Arcadia-owned...

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Rothbury's High Street (13 February 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult 0

Independent Stores / Market Towns

July 9, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published July 9, 2010 · Last modified June 11, 2017

Rothbury’s retail charms

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...

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Image from 'Scotland's Shops' book, courtesy of Historic Scotland 0

Book Reviews / Department Stores / Retail History

July 8, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published July 8, 2010 · Last modified January 16, 2017

New book examines the architectural history of Scotland’s shops

One of the nice things about running my own architecture subject gateway, Sapling.info, is that I get the opportunity to read about plenty of interesting buildings and places.  Earlier...

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Shoe shopping. Image by Allie Hylton 2

Footwear / Independent Stores

June 29, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published June 29, 2010 · Last modified April 20, 2017

Out of the ruins of Faith comes Hope

It’s always good to hear of a retailer that is rising from the ashes, Wellworths-style, so I was pleased to read in The Appointment magazine...

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Alworths fascia. Photograph by Graham Soult 2

Property / Supermarkets / Variety Stores / Woolworths

June 25, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published June 25, 2010 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Alworths lined up for non-Woolies site in Alloa?

Just a week after its first two Scottish stores opened in Forfar and Cupar, the variety store chain Alworths is now “recruiting for enthusiastic, customer focussed...

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Northumberland Street scene, Newcastle (17 June 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult 2

Brands / Home and DIY / Property

June 22, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published June 22, 2010

Currys and B&Q think compact as the retail park heads to the high street

I was curious to read Retail Week’s recent article about the electricals retailer DSGi trialling a small-size dual fascia Currys and PC World store at...

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Early 1970s view of Washington's Woolco 8

Retail History / Woolworths

June 22, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published June 22, 2010 · Last modified January 16, 2017

The ghosts of Washington’s former Woolworths

Back in February, I blogged about the former Woolworths store in Sunderland’s Fawcett Street, which closed in 2004 following its acquisition by Primark. At the...

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Shopjacket im Howard Street, North Shields (18 Jun 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult 2

Personal / Property

June 18, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published June 18, 2010

And while in North Shields… another Shopjacket

While checking out North Shield’s Wooly Minded, I also paid a visit to the North East’s third Shopjacket, in nearby Howard Street, following on from...

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Existing Wooly Minded in North Shields (18 Jun 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult 3

Independent Stores / Merchandising / Specialist Retailers

June 18, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published June 18, 2010 · Last modified October 24, 2013

Newcastle’s Wooly Minded store opening – more details about “the knitter’s paradise”

My coverage of the upcoming Wooly Minded store in Newcastle’s Clayton Street seems to have prompted quite a bit of interest on Twitter, so –...

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Typical Card Factory fascia. Photograph by Graham Soult 7

Property / Specialist Retailers

June 18, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published June 18, 2010 · Last modified June 11, 2017

Card Factory lined up for Newcastle’s Northumberland Street

Newcastle City Council has recently received a planning application for the “display of internally illuminated fascia sign and non illuminated projecting sign to front elevation”...

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Wooly Minded's Newcastle shop (17 Jun 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult 2

Independent Stores / Property / Specialist Retailers

June 17, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published June 17, 2010 · Last modified July 25, 2010

Newcastle’s Clayton Street gets Wooly Minded

One of the quirks of the recently opened Eldon Square South extension in Newcastle is the contrast in tenant mix between the main St Andrew’s...

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Clas Ohlson fascia. Photograph by Graham Soult 2

Home and DIY / Property / Shopping Centres

June 17, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published June 17, 2010 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Clas Ohlson continues UK expansion with Merry Hill store

Swedish hardware retailer Clas Ohlson has announced today that it will be opening its eighth UK store at Westfield’s Merry Hill shopping centre, at Brierley...

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Screenshot of STV's coverage 1

Market Towns / Property / Woolworths

June 16, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published June 16, 2010

Coverage of Cupar Alworths opening raises a retail laugh

Alworths in Cupar opened today, taking over the premises that were latterly Pound-Mart and, before that, Woolworths. The fledgling chain’s first foray into Fife –...

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Woolworths… from the archives

  • The now-closed Alworths in Amersham (14 May 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult

    Six former Woolies in and around London

    June 2, 2010

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It was a privilege to be a High Streets Task Force It was a privilege to be a High Streets Task Force Expert during its five-year existence - and its findings have now been published....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/05/23/high-streets-task-force-findings-provide-blueprint-for-successful-high-street-regeneration/
Last week it was a real pleasure to attend the off Last week it was a real pleasure to attend the official launch event of Two Tales, Seven Stories' new Durham pop-up at Prince Bishops Place....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/05/23/seven-stories-pop-up-makes-the-high-street-a-place-of-joy-and-opportunity-for-durham-children/
As a presumably well-intentioned but unhelpful new As a presumably well-intentioned but unhelpful new report on "Ghost Towns" is published today, it's time to stop feeding this narrative....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/05/23/you-want-healthier-high-streets-then-maybe-think-twice-before-publishing-a-report-about-ghost-towns/
Gateshead Railway Quarter isn't a new thing, but p Gateshead Railway Quarter isn't a new thing, but putting the name up there undoubtedly makes it more real....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/04/29/gateshead-railway-quarter-how-to-improve-your-town-by-starting-with-what-is-already-good/
An initial action shot of me yesterday evening! Th An initial action shot of me yesterday evening! Thank you to Spalding & District Civic Society for the kind invitation to speak, and to the large and engaged audience for a great many pertinent questions during the Q&A afterwards 💬

Their obvious passion for the town demonstrated the power of what can be achieved by harnessing that enthusiasm and working together to make a difference. 

One woman told me afterwards "You expressed everything that I feel about #Spalding", which is always one of the best compliments I can hope for 💪☺️

#highstreet #highstreets #evolvingnotdying #lincolnshire
Specialist Speakers is a speaker bureau for keynot Specialist Speakers is a speaker bureau for keynote and motivational speakers in business, politics, economy and management....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/03/26/graham-soult-now-featured-alongside-famous-names-at-at-specialist-speakers-speaker-bureau/
This page details retail units currently available This page details retail units currently available to let in Durham city centre. As Retail Cupid, we help match empty shops with new tenants....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/03/13/march-2025-retail-cupid-update-current-retail-property-to-let-in-durham-city-centre/
Occupying the building where Wallsend Woolworths t Occupying the building where Wallsend Woolworths traded from 1929 to 1959, Tyneside Community Store offers essential items for those in need....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/03/12/the-building-that-housed-wallsends-original-woolworths-and-that-continues-to-serve-the-community/

About this blog

Soult's Retail View is a blog by me, Graham Soult, taking a wide-ranging look at the UK retail industry. I'm a retail consultant based in Gateshead - and the person behind CannyInsights.com and CannySites.com - so my posts often (but not always) have a North East flavour. [read more]

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Archive

Retail property… from the archives

  • Peters Bakery logo

    Mixed news for North East high streets as 22 Peters Bakery shops are saved, but 34 close

    July 31, 2012

  • Original Factory Shop fascia. Photograph by Graham Soult

    The Original Factory Shop in Morpeth – a shift towards more upmarket locations?

    July 28, 2010

  • Former Mecca club in Wallsend - soon to be a Wetherspoon pub (21 Jun 2014). Photograph by Graham Soult

    Exploring bingo’s place on the high street – and the online challenges that parallel retail

    December 16, 2014

In the News

In December 2009, global media intelligence company Cision ranked Soult’s Retail View at #2 in its list of the UK’s top ten retail blogs.

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