After much gossip, has anyone got a conclusive answer now to who is taking over the old Woolworths store?

When will they move in?

The chaps currently in the Works old store are expanding.

Quoted from 37

After much gossip, has anyone got a conclusive answer now to who is taking over the old Woolworths store?

When will they move in?

http://www.newbury.net/forum/m-1243439455/

Anymore news on this?

Is any EVER going to happen to this vacant store.... It has been almost 6 months since it was in use.

So many rumours but apparently no substance to them.

Why don't we all club together, buy the lease and turn it into an indoor market and rent small open front lock ups selling anything from meat to slippers. I reckon that would suit Newbury a treat. A seven day local market undercover and spacious.

Quoted from brian

Why don't we all club together, buy the lease and turn it into an indoor market and rent small open front lock ups selling anything from meat to slippers. I reckon that would suit Newbury a treat. A seven day local market undercover and spacious.

It is a nice idea, but IMHO the landlords of Newbury are way to greedy. With the pastie folk paying £97k a year, can you imagine what woolies site would be?

Is there any news on the abomination that is the ex-Woolworth store??

Loads of speculation but zero action.

I should imagine that Wilkinsons, like the potential applicants for space at Parkway are reluctant to invest in the current economic climate. Of course if you wish to invest your money in opening a new retail establishment you would be welcome, but I would imagine that even if you were in retail and had the funds that you would take a similar approach.

Quoted from Nobby

I should imagine that Wilkinsons, like the potential applicants for space at Parkway are reluctant to invest in the current economic climate. Of course if you wish to invest your money in opening a new retail establishment you would be welcome, but I would imagine that even if you were in retail and had the funds that you would take a similar approach.

If Woolies couldn't do it, what chance any other trader of that size.

Quoted from brian

If Woolies couldn't do it, what chance any other trader of that size.

Just because Woolies couldn't doesn't mean Wilkinsons can't http://corporate.wilkinsonplus.com/corp/wilkinson_store_openings.asp?SubMenu=LatestNews

Quoted from 133

Just because Woolies couldn't doesn't mean Wilkinsons can't http://corporate.wilkinsonplus.com/corp/wilkinson_store_openings.asp?SubMenu=LatestNews

They probably could but don't seem to be showing much interest in Newbury.

Automatic switching of lights won't do it, that's just a placebo for the greenies and wouldn't even show on the bottom line of such a big store. (probably no better than saving the wages of one member of staff) It's all about attracting customers with the right goods and the right markup in a town that encourages shoppers.

Quoted from brian

They probably could but don't seem to be showing much interest in Newbury.

They're probably waiting for Debenhams to leave the Kennet Centre, they would be do well in there.

Bedtime Story No:1  A Tale of Two Pities - Part One

Once upon a time, many years ago, a shop opened in Newbury high street. It was part of the biggest chain of shops in the whole wide world that started in the USA, it’s name was Woolworths. It was one of the first bargain shops with fixed prices, everything was 3d or 6d, it quickly became very popular.   Over 1000 stores operated in the UK, until the 1970s when they shed about 150 of them. Everything was hunky-dory until the 1980s when the UK section was sold to the Kingfisher Group UK.

According to reports they neglected poor old Woolies and it was nearly all downhill from there, until finally, the crunch came at the start of 2009 when all stores closed for the last time. Many high streets were left with large empty premises in prime spots. Some of them were quickly taken on by other companies and, in one or two cases, determined individuals took up the mantle and opened their own version of Woolies, giving a familiar shop back to the community and jobs back to the staff who had giving them years of service.

There’s not much difference with the Newbury store other than the clash of interests that are holding up the store opening again. News of Wilkinsons, not too dissimilar to Woolworths but offering more variety, leaked out into the local grapevines and spread with mixed reactions. Some were pleased and looked forward to it, others thought it was more of the usual town gossip. Time continued to pass by and nothing happened, even though some believed the deal was imminent. Pity No: 1

Now, the owner of this premises is a sharp businessman and is keen to fill it and start making money from it again. However there were some developers operating in the vicinity who weren’t very taken with having Wilkinsons this close so they made it awkward to complete the deal by causing problems with the rear access, crucial for Wilkinsons very large delivery trucks. Then, lo and behold, another bid was put forward, another one that, although even more attractive to the owner, wasn’t wanted by the developers or the council, they had other ideas and were determined to get their own way. Apart from the poaching, they were cooking up their own plans and everyone began to wonder where it would all end. Pity No: 2

Quoted from Dig of the Stump

.. Time continued to pass by and nothing happened, even though some believed the deal was imminent. ...

I heard this on a monthly basis!

It's such a shame that the owners do not have the vision to look further than letting to one tenant. That building would lend itself nicely to an indoor arcade with lots of small units leading out through the back to the new parkway. The footfall through it would be really heavy with shoppers wanting to go to and from Northbrook Street to Parkway and the right sort of small shops could be attractive to both starter tenants and shoppers alike.