SPIRITS OF CHRISTMAS PAST...
RIP WOOLWORTHS

Ready to be laid to rest this coming new year is ghost of once-great high-street giant Woolworths, due to a combination of rabid competition, rapidly changing consumer spending and good old-fashioned mis-management.

My girlfriend can't understand my affinity with Woolies, which is understandable since the scabby branch she grew up with differed considerably from the cosy, cottage-y old building my childhood memories associated with the brand. Looksee below - innit lovely?

Used to be that Christmas meant at trip to Woolworths. Maybe it wasn't the case, but they seemed to supply every one of my gaudy childhood decorations (such as fondly recalled strings of purple tinsel) and I'm pretty sure that 9 out of 10 of my pocket money purchased gifts came from those now empty shelves.

Nevertheless, I hadn't frequented it's floors for yonks, and last time I set foot in a store before the recent closure announcements I beat a hasty retreat after the only other customers - a chavtastic couple armed with a fully-loaded pram, complete with screaming kids - smashed a mirror and bawled the blame at one another.

Out of curiosity I visited the Aldershot branch just before Christmas to witness it being torn apart, and everything for up for sale - even the store's shelves and safe.

Big spender that I am I stumped up the cash for a pair of heavily reduced Indiana Jones socks and a Speed Racer die cast car, both of which were subsequently archived away at the back of a cupboard at my parents place, already creaking under the combined weight of the crap I've surreptitiously stored there over the years.

So, as a tribute to the soon-to-go goliathons I present some festive highlights from the Christmas campaigns of late-lamented Woolies, as well as a particularly dreadful recent advertisement that indicates how out of touch the brand had become (and remains an ill-advised excursion for all concerned...).