We went out for a ride to some of the Fenland towns at the end of last week and wandered into the Woolworth store in Huntingdon. There was hardly anything on the shelves but they were selling off the fixtures and fittings, a few children's clothes, a handful of DVDs and boxes (yes, whole boxes) of sweets they use to fill the pick and mix. I was so sad I actually had to go out of the store as my eyes were filling up. I was thinking about the role Woolies had played in my life and I thought about the staff - some of whom have worked for the company for over 40 years. Imagine that, it's not just a job that pays the bills - it's a whole part of your life that will change forever.
Panstick foundation, white eye shadow, glittery eye shadow, US deodorant, Anne French cleasing milk, Ponds Vanishing Cream (never did work out what was supposed to vanish), Quickies face Wipes, giant sponge hair rollers, do-it-yourself hair perming kits, flip flops for your hols, toweling beach wraps, floppy hats, tartan flasks, polythene fold-flat rain hats, posters of just about everyone from Che Guevara to Guy the gorilla, Crazy Foam, sticky-backed plastic, lick-the-back coloured paper, tubes of glitter, packets of stick-on stars, jars of glue with the slanted rubber top, books of raffle tickets, cloakroom tickets, invoice books, rent books, luggage labels, string, brown wrapping paper, pegs, pipe cleaners, plimsols, wellington boots, umbrellas, beach balls, tennis balls, ping pong balls, flower pots, Baby Bio, Tomato Food.... that was the wonder of Woolies. How will we ever manage without it?
