That's all folks as the wonder of Woolworths fades with 34 stores closing their doors

Published on Monday 29 December 2008 21:19

THERE was almost a party atmosphere in the Woolworths store in Stockbridge, Edinburgh.

Disco music was playing and the shop was full of shoppers carrying bags laden with CDs, games and sweets.

But at 5pm yesterday the music stopped, the lights were turned down and the Edinburgh store became one of 34 across Scotland to close its doors for the last time.

Jane McLeod, who was one of the last shoppers, said: "It is very sad after all these years when we have taken them for granted."

Fellow shopper Maureen Maynard said: "I used to get all the clothes for my daughters there. The prices were very cheap and it always seemed to be busy. If you needed something you could just go and pick it up."

Yesterday, with all Woolworths stores told to shift as much stock as possible, prices were cut by 90 per cent.

In Stockbridge you could buy CDs for 50p, office fans for 79p and Bratz dolls which normally sell for 20 for only 1.99.

Even the fixtures and fittings were for sale. At the back of the shop desks, chairs and notice boards were offered for knock-down prices. The staff, who were not wearing their Woolworths uniforms, had been told everything must go.

"It has been absolutely non-stop since 3pm, when we cut the prices by 90 per cent," said one.

Jennifer Milligan was buying presents. "Our daughters are nine and five so they go to lots of parties. This way we will have presents to give away for the whole year."

She said: "It is quite sad. There is a famous Scottish poem about a woman who came to live in Edinburgh from Glasgow. She was nervous because she thought Edinburgh was full of posh people – but then she looked out of the window of the train and saw Woolworths and she felt at home."

Fiona Moriarty, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said she believed the loss of Woolworths would have a huge impact on communities.

"I think Woolworths will be sorely missed. It was a mainstay of many Scottish high streets especially in the small towns in the Central Belt. When it is gone I think the local population will miss the provision they offered."

Although most Woolworths stores in Scotland closed yesterday those in Galashiels and Hawick will be remain open until 2 January. The stores at Dumbarton, Dumfries, Glasgow Glenrothes, Helensburgh, Inverness, Kirkcaldy and Perth will close on 5 January – as will the Big W in Edinburgh.

But yesterday the party was over in Stockbridge. As the last customers left, the shelves were stripped almost bare. There were some unsold advent calendars, a sprinkling of CDs by forgotten reality TV stars, bumper packs of cheap pens, paper tablecloths and on a bottom shelf a solitary pair of child's plimsolls.