World's oldest Woolworths store closes its doors for the last time

THE world's oldest branch of Woolworths has shut after becoming one of the most high-profile victims of the credit crisis.

The south London store, which has stood on the same site for 96 years, has survived two world wars, several recessions and decades of urban regeneration.

Now all its shelves have been stripped bare by bargain hunters after the chain went bust and administrators closed it down.

Britain's first Woolworths opened in Liverpool in 1909 but the Croydon branch, which opened in North End in 1912, was the oldest still trading in the world.

The American company of the same name, founded by Frank W Woolworth in Pennsylvania in 1878, closed all its stores in 1997.

Nostalgic shoppers in Croydon paid a last visit, while tearful employees posed for farewell photographs.

Shelves and other fixtures and fittings were up for sale alongside the few remaining items of heavily discounted stock.

A concessions manager, Isabelle, said: "As you can imagine everyone among the staff is very upset, but we have got to try and keep positive."

Among the last customers was Penny Harris, 40, who said: "We are devastated. I just popped in to say goodbye really, to the shop and to the staff. I think there should have been more of an effort to save it - it is a part of British history."

Joyce Neilson, 85, said: "I was coming to this very store when I was four years old. I remember my father bringing me on Christmas Eve.

"Woolworths closing down is something that people of my age never thought they would see because it had been there all our lives. I think it's really sad."

everything has gone world's oldest woolworths store closes its doors for last time