SAVE OUR WOOLWORTH'S CAMPAIGN - who's in?

[Enraha]

Right MNers. While it's not my favourite shop in the world and it's business strategy is probably a bit screwed up; I think it's going to be a sorry day if Woolies leaves the high street.

I have just been for a last-ditch supportive shop and strongly suggest you do the same if you can this week.

You could get some gift-wrap, chrimbo cards or bargainiferous toys, a lady-themed toolkit or a strange gimmicky household cleaning item. C'mon!

i think we are too late

I shop in woolies most weeks, i will miss looking at all the tat

It has been dodgy for years - without a USP. It's not reasonable to support a business with an outdated strategy.

I have done that already today, I felt a bit guilty got some bargains though.

I got Wall E and Kung Fu panda DVD for £9.90 each and Wii Music for under £27!
I'll miss Woolies (and not just for the Pick 7 Mix!)

I bought:

• A not totally unpleasant (and let me tell you, there are plenty out there) pink snow-suit for £10, marked down from £20
• A toy i-pod
• Some toy keys that play music
• A tea set
• Some gift wrap
• 2 Twirls (BOGOF)

and walking distance from home, so no parking hassle/carbon-guilt.

I'm eyeing up Scattergories, which is already marked down to a tenner.

Oh yes and my bill was well under £30.
I feel really sorry for the staff too.

You got Kung fu Panda for £9! I was in ours today and it was £13!! I did get Wall E for £9 though and the Wall E Rubik's Cube.

I will miss Woolies

[anger] [consternation at own crappy grammar -its business strategy- of course], I'm obviously more emotional than I thought!

I think it's mostly overpriced then marked down
I won't be sorry to see ours go

Hey FioFio, for the record I'm being serious. It's easily the most useful shop near me (currently crowded out by estate-agents and not hugely popular restaurants).

Has saved me more than once in an emergency baby-vest dash situation in the last 12 months.

I tried to support Woolies by going in there to get some basins to steam Christmas puddings in, and they didn't have any. If you can't get things like that at Woolworth's, then where? Most of the shelves were half empty - I would buy stuff there if they had anything worth getting, but my local branch looks a relic from the USSR.

I think Woolies is fab. Definitely serves a purpose in our local shopping area.

sorry to hear about your job fio.

How long do we have left to shop there? Is it closing immediately?

Aww, dd1 is crying because she doesn't want Woolies to shut, "it's the bestest shop in town" according to her.

Any links to a reputable source? FT.com say nothing I didn't know yesterday. I obviously can't say any more than that, but it's interesting how the general public seem to know more than the staff.

Fio, yeah I'm a single mum, so IF the random window cleaners are right, I'm screwed. But I've been privy to a fair bit of information the last couple of days.

Is woolies going then? noooooooo i love woolies. I get loads from there. Cheap CDs and DVDs, cheapy little bits for party bags, stocking fillers, nursery presents, dressing up outfits, trainers, slippers, wellies, vests, socks, pants, umbrellas. Ours stocks knex aswell.

BBC news just says that the takeover bid from the main shareholder has failed and it will go into administration. I don't believe its officially gone yet but suspect it may be by the end of the week

MFI has called the administrators in as well today

BBC link

If it can't be saved, I hope at least they have the goodwill to keep open to sell off their inventory and pay their staff. Truly crap time of year for this to happen.

Administration is not the same as going out of business though..."The role of an administrator is to get the company out of trouble and trading again if possible."...yes, it happens to some companies, allders for example, but lots of others pull out of it. Until I am told I have no job, I won't believe we're going out of business.