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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to not really care about the collapse of Woolworths

63 replies

Raalix · 27/11/2008 17:26

Sure, Woollies has been around for a century and I did shop there on occasions. But I won't miss it if it goes altogether.

Woolworths did not have a unique selling point - there was nothing in there that you couldn't buy somewhere else.

The stores themselves were staffed mostly by spotty teenagers with absolutely no sense of customer relations (a problem not unique to Woolworths). The interiors always seemed dirty and poorly arranged.

They were nothing special and I won't be sorry to see them go. Having said that - I wouldn't wish this situation on anyone, but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it either.

OP posts:
Lotster · 27/11/2008 18:39

It's always sad to see businesses go down the tubes, and Woolies was a British instution!

Won't miss the badly sized Ladybird clothes though. They have no idea how to size kids...

guyFAwkesreQuiem · 27/11/2008 18:47

YABU - lucky for those of you that live in big towns, where not only are the plenty of cheap shops to buy from. I walked past my Woolies today - it's the only shop on that street - (only a short one admittedly) - the one next to it is boarded up (was a Jewellers but they moved last year to somewhere that was cheaper to rent for them) and no-one else have moved in. When it Woolies closes there will only be Barclays bank on the corner of that block, and then a huge section of boarded up shop.

southeastastra · 27/11/2008 18:50

has op done a runner then

notcitrus · 27/11/2008 18:52

my local Woolies always had half-empty shelves and was filthy, as were some others near me. For some reason the Brixton one was always full of stock and bargains so I'll be sorry if that one shuts, but the others deserved to die.

2shoes · 27/11/2008 18:56

By ledodgy on Thu 27-Nov-08 17:40:30
I care especially because Fio works there and she's not a spotty teenager and she's my friend.

well said
and wtf is wrong with spotty teenagers?
think the op is bvu

kormachameleon · 27/11/2008 19:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hifi · 27/11/2008 19:07

waitrose has taken over the one in islington.wonder if they have bought anymore?

clam · 27/11/2008 19:08

Well, much as I hate to admit that my mother was right, she did say, many years back, that the rot set in when they stopped selling all those useful bits and pieces (like nails and screws etc..)and replacing them with tat.

piratecat · 27/11/2008 19:11

i would say that ok yanbu in your situation, if you have other places to shop. In many tiny towns ie. like the one i live in Woolies is a great assett. It's a small branch, but is the only chain type shop here,it's cheap,and its invaluable.

Tidey · 27/11/2008 19:13

I care, because I live in a very small town and it's pretty much the only shop that sells DVDs, games or CDs. I buy the majority of my Christmas and birthday gifts for people in there. It sells reasonably priced school uniform and other kids clothes. It's a very useful shop in a number of ways, and I for one would be sad to see them all disappear.

MFI, on the other hand... Meh. Apart from people losing their jobs, obviously.

shoshe · 27/11/2008 19:21

Tidey we are the same, a small market town, with no other major shops, it is 20 miles one way to Poole, 25 the other way to Salisbury.

Woolworths will be missed here.

onepieceoflollipop · 27/11/2008 19:31

Regardless of the op's opinion about Woolworths, I find it quite alarming tbh. These major chains under thread of closure, it is a stark warning/reminder to us all that (imo anyway) harder times are coming.

My dh works in the car industry - his job is by no means secure.

To any of you who work in Woolies, Fio and anyone else, I would like to say that I hope you don't lose your jobs and if you do that you are able to find a new job and there isn't a major impact on your family.

beforesunrise · 27/11/2008 19:32

it's not about being unreasonable or reasonable- it's about being sensible and ANY sensible person would have shivers down their spine once they start seeing major hight street brands going bankrupt ffs. you do realise, don't you, that this is the beginning of a potentially incredibly nasty recession, which is going to hurt every single one of us? 30,000 people risk losing their jobs at woolworths alone, and they are just the tip of the iceberg and it is just the beginning.

i don't give a monkey's ass whether you like or don't like woolworths or whether you shop there or not- you should still care.

and, for the records, "spotty teenagers" need jobs too, you know?

i am sorry to say, but you are silly, short sighted and not a little bit arrogant.

beforesunrise · 27/11/2008 19:36

snap lollipop!

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 27/11/2008 19:37
Lilyloo · 27/11/2008 19:37

My previous post didn't work in response to OP i think you are v unreasonable on account lot's of people work at woolies , not 'just spotty teens' ( who may well be mnetters dc's) and some of them mnetters so on that account i do care !
What an awful time of year to loose your job and who will be next

Ponders · 27/11/2008 19:38

Oh I care very much, I love our Woolies

You can get almost anything in there except food & grown-ups' clothes - it's a major part of our main street (small market town) & I will miss it very much if it closes.

onepieceoflollipop · 27/11/2008 19:40

Yes and to follow on from what beforesunrise and I said a few minutes ago, the more chains that go bankrupt (and imo this is just the beginning of the beginning, we aint seen nothing yet I fear) unemployment will rocket.

I was born in 1971 so the recession in the 80s wasn't that big a deal to me, but I do remember unemployment hitting 3 million.

Anyway,I suspect op is either a troll or if not a not v bright and unpleasant person.

My only comfort is that out of dh and I one of us has a more "secure" job (nurse). That doesn't mean I have no feeling or compassion for those less fortunate.

Lauriefairycake · 27/11/2008 19:42

It depends where you live, down here it's a pretty much irrelevant shop but when I lived up north and in Scotland it was the only proper shop in the town.

Coincidentally, I also shoplifted there - was 7 mind before you all pitchfork me

Lilyloo · 27/11/2008 19:42

Don't think OP a troll he has profile very insensitive post!

onepieceoflollipop · 27/11/2008 19:43

apologies for the personal comments in my last post, op is not a troll, he has a mnet profile and is a teacher.

However I still stand by the rest of my posts.

onepieceoflollipop · 27/11/2008 19:44

x-posts with you Lilyloo, have apologised. My troll radar obviously needs servicing.

Cynthia32 · 27/11/2008 19:52

Just know, OP, that we won't be here for you when you come crawling back complaining you or your DW have lost your jobs. I see your a teacher, so your job is one of the more secure ones. That doesn't mean you have the right to laugh in those who don't have such secure job's faces.

troutpout · 27/11/2008 19:55

i love woolies.it's so darn useful. i use it a lot. (ok we do have a pretty poor collection of shops in our high street)
but yes yabu

rosmerta · 27/11/2008 20:28

By hifi on Thu 27-Nov-08 19:07:23
waitrose has taken over the one in islington.wonder if they have bought anymore?

Waitrose have bought the one in Chiswick as well.

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