Woolies staff fear the worst
Saturday 13th December 2008, 10:00AM GMT.
LONG-serving members of Woolworths have spoken about their devastation that the store, which is a big part of their lives, is on the verge of closing.
They have been told by one of their regular customers that if Woolworths goes from the Island’s high street, the heart will be torn out of St Helier.
As uncertainty about the future of the company continues in the UK, some staff in Jersey told the JEP that they were not only worried about their future, but also deeply saddened that they will no longer be part of the team of colleagues there whom they have come to regard as their family.
The jobs of 125 full-time and part-time staff currently hang in the balance. Of those, 20 have given between ten and 45 years of service to the company. Manager John Leggett, who has worked for Woolworths for 44 years, 16 of which he has run the Jersey store, said that he and the staff were very proud of the branch, which achieved the highest sales and profit in the company. ‘This is a heartbreaking situation and everyone is gutted,’ he said.
• Picture: There are empty shelves at Woolworths as the company is on the verge of closing down. Picture by Richard Wainwright (00606441)
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I was shocked and saddened to see the empty shelves rapidly appearing when I went into Woolies last week and wholeheartedly agree that St. Helier will be losing a very popular and well-used shop!
My parents over on the UK mainland are also very upset about this dreadful situation, as Woolies is one of the places they look forward to shopping in whenever they visit Jersey and they say that the St. Helier store is the best one they have seen anywhere!
Our best wishes go to all the staff and hope that there may still be a happy solution for everyone concerned!
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My heart goes out to the staff at woolies in a recession it’s always the retail sector that gets hit first so very very sad..
You see it’s not all about finance yes we need it no doubt about that but the town is in for a very hard year we all are..
My family have big links with woolies and we are all gutted.
rs
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Unfortunatley the two local ones to me in UK are having thier ‘Closing Down Sale’ today, and are packed out.
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Now is the time for our Economic Development Minister and the Chamber of Commerce to put together a plan to bring in a viable company or companies to fill the void and building left by Woolworths. This will mean that our portfolio of shops is kept roughly the same or is enhanced. More importantly, it means the staff can be redeployed as quickly as possible with minimal disruption.
We have a new Chief Minister and a new council. Now is the time for them to step up and show what they can achieve for the ordinary people of Jersey and not just focus on the wealthy. We didn’t vote for you, but we are stuck with you…prove you can do the job for the people or we will vote you out next time round.
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what next ? woolies was such a part of st helier it just won’t be the same. It’s ok for the english people to say well you can get everything that woolies do in the local supermarket but that is not the case over here. My best wishes for the staff especially at this time of year its even harder. I wish them all good luck for the future and hope that someone will step in and at least take over the woolies store over here. Surly the states won’t let this iconic part of our shopping center disappear Come on Terry put your money where your mouth is you say there is no recession well what’s this then ?
Time for Change me thinks !
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I agree with Julie in that the Jersey store was a great shop-in fact I always considered it one of the main players in King Street yet in the UK Woolies always seem to be stuck in a back street and looking quite shabby (at least the ones I have come across!)A great shame and a huge loss to St Helier.
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Do we know who will be taking the store ??
I can`t imagine town without Woolies always something to browse there and always value for money . Its so sad.
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May I wish the staff at Woolies all the best for the future.
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Come on Guys! Its just a shop! Good for the other shops though and an opportunity for someone else. Its a cycle of life. Retail brands eventually lose their sell-by date.
I’m sure the heart of Jersey is bigger than one shop.
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Family? Don’t think so… I worked there for 2 years and they are the most grumpy people I have ever worked amongst!
It’s just a shop… we can buy anything they sell elsewhere. No big loss
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Jersey’s finance ‘industry’ is probably partly to blame for this! Immoral bankers – credit crunch – recession – woolworths goes bust!
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I come from France.I’m coming 3 times a year in Jersey.
If woolies close, Jersey will not be the same.
(excuse me for my very bad English)
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@ “The Optimist”:
The demise of Woolies might be good for other shops, but is it good for us? For example, where else in town, besides HMV, has a good selection of CDs, DVDs and games? Where else in town, besides Bambola, will you be able to find a good selection of toys? Lack of choice is never good for the consumer!
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We shall miss the browsing through all the electrical & kitchen bargains. It was always with great anticipation we entered the store eagre to find out what the latest specials were on the sweet shelves. Where shall we now browse for specials like that? Our hearts go out to the staff. We hope that they are speedily redeployed.
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Well said Mike, Decently priced childrens clothes, music and films, games and toys and not forgetting the pick ‘n’ mix !! There is nowhere else which offers the choice and value for money Woolworths offered for all these things. A lot of thought needs to go into filling this very large hole. Maybe an Argos downstairs with Primark upstairs !? I wish all the staff luck in finding another job very quickly.
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It is a great shame that such an iconic store will go and it is true to say that Woollies offered good value for money. However I stopped buying items such as CD/DVD from there as I found better prices online from places such as Amazon. Shopping online is on the increase and they have the advantage of no rent on premises other than warehouses!!
I too hope that the staff there find new jobs as well as all the other people made redundant from banks/builders etc.
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Put not your faith in Argos or Primark. Simply Jersey has the population of a midle sized UK town. Plus the ‘Supply chain’ Stocks in UK can be moved about in few hours, by road, to Jersey you have a minimum of 24 hours, presuming ferry or air is operational. I know it is an old chestnut but the economics of retailers in Jersey just don’t work the same as UK.
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Don’t keep blaming the local Finance Industry for everything. We are very strong over here and not suffering anywhere near the degree that the City of London is. Woolworth’s issues are one of poor management and UK stores that are in a poor state and which do not offer a very nice shopping experience. Also in the UK there are other stores that people have the choice to use whereas Woolies in Jersey is really the only decent one-stop shop that we have. Woolies in Jersey is the most profitable out of 800 stores so maybe that is down to the local Finance Industry !!! I for one feel it’s a great shame and I hope it will be kept alive by a new investor.
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wilkensons is the nearest thing to woolworths regarding goods sell just about everything and more.household goods ,books paint,stationery etc very similar to woolies with lots more of an assortment of goods always packed out in uk,it would be nice if they took over and kept the staff at work if anyone has visited one in uk they would agree with me
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Words such as “heartbroken”, “gutted”, “devastated” and “dreadful” are all words which have been used here totally out of place – just because a shop has closed down. Yes we all have fond memories of riding on the Bugs Bunny machine after getting some orange at the juice bar back in 1976 but for gods sake it’s only a business that was there to make a profit, it wasn’t a community centre! Perhaps some of these commenters that are so very upset should take a trip to India or Africa and see some of the starving children, then maybe get some perspective on what a “tragedy” really is.
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Where will I now get my cheap rubber gloves?On a serious note the majority of staff have been there for a very long time and what will happen to staff who live above premises who will have to find somewhere to live maybe before xmas.
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Bella Your so right wilkensons in Exiter was brillient and cheaper than even poundworld when I was over there last April, you really are spoilt for choice and its not too good to be true its for real
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I am very sad to see Woolies go..I got my first sat job there, St Helier will never be the same again at least you had choice..where else would one go now hey???
I now live in the UK but at least we have a choice here, Jersey will struggle, Woolies will always be a part of everyone I think. Very SAD especially for all the staff, and the ones that have been there for years and years, good luck to you all.
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Bugs bunny and Basil brush at 2p a ride!
Woolies was never the same after there demise.
Bugs was always faster than Basil strange but true
I always rode on Bugs bunny.
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Tobias for some people Woolies summed up their childhood, going in with your pocket money for pick a mix and all sorts.
Yes its not a tradegy on teh scale of the rest of the world, but im sorry if i went through life thinking ‘its not as bad as those people’ then i would never get anything done because i would be comparing my life conmstantly to others.
i am more sad for the staff and one lovely lady who worked on teh top floor that i said goodbye to today and wished her luck because the two years i have been here in jersey she has always been polite, said hello to my daughter when she was born and always remembered people who shopped there.
I wish good luck to the staff and i hope wilkinsons or primark do come over and take over teh shop and its staff together.
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I say good luck to the staff in finding new jobs, but the only time i personally used woolies was to get out of the rain or just purely as a shortcut.
I just hope that the property doesnt get bought by a developer to build more ‘Apartments’. I can already imagine there has been thought about it!
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In regard to comments made by Tobias(don’t feel like you’re being ganged up on here T!)I am “gutted.” I was born in Jersey,lived in Vauxhall St,went to Halkett Place School(totally “gutted” at its conversion to Fire Station & Library)moved to Ireland in ’81 & London in ’89 & am visiting Jersey as my 39th birthday treat in 3 wks time,as i hadn’t been back since ’89. Was sooooo looking forward to visiting Woolies…was gonna be my 1st stop.My Mum died in ’93(born in Jersey & went to Halkett Place too)& my most fondest memories were of our visits…strawberry milkshake & sausage roll up at the bar,the ride-ons,pick & mix,always the chance that we’d go home with a bargain skirt or blouse…It is maybe a “tragedy” for the workers who now find themselves in a New Year without a job. I live near the Finchley Rd Woolies where staff have told me that even Staff who have worked for them for 25yrs will end up with only 3 months pay! A kick in the whatsits,the poor things. The Very Best of Luck to All Woolies Staff.
XXXXX
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