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Woolworths store means sweet memories for me
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| CHANGING TIMES: The Woolworths outlet in Above Bar before its closure. |
Is it a trick of the memory or are Wagon Wheels really smaller compared with the ones bought at the old FW Woolworth store that once stood in the Bitterne shopping centre in Southampton?
Not only did the chocolate and marshmallow sandwich seem larger but for fans of the biscuit there was the added attraction of being able to save up the wrappers and send off to the makers for an enamel lapel badge showing a covered wagon pulled by a team of horses.
This was during those halcyon times back in the early 1960s when local youngsters - including me - would head for Woolworths to spend their pocket money on a Saturday morning.
It was only a small store but despite its size this Woolworths seemed to sell everything its young customers wanted to buy before they crossed over the road for the children's film show at the Ritz cinema.
Sweets were always popular and Bitterne's Woolworths had a wide selection to tempt the sweetest of tooth including bars of Fry's Five Boys Chocolate which featured five faces on the wrapper under which were the words: " Desperation, Pacification, Expectation, Acclamation and Realization It's Fry's.''
Trebor sherbet fountains were another treat and, like a Wagon Wheel which were only eaten by nibbling off the chocolate first before tackling the biscuit, they too could only be enjoyed in a certain way.
Sherbet fountains consisted of a paper tube filled with lemon sherbet, and a narrow liquorice "straw". Theoretically, it was supposed to be possible to suck the sherbet up through the liquorice, but the stickiness of liquorice tended to make that impossible.
No matter, though, you could just keep moistening the liquorice, dipping it in the sherbet and picking it up that way. Then, when the sherbet ran low, you could knock the last of it back as if you were finishing a drink, and then finally eat the liquorice straw.
As an aside, the name Trebor was acquired from the house Robertson & Woodcock, the original manufacturers, occupied in Forest Gate, London in the company's early years. As it also spelt the first name of Robert Robertson backwards, the location was regarded as particularly appropriate and a lucky omen.
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| An advert for Fry's Chocolate which continued in the shops until the early 1970s. |
However, the Woolworth shop in Bitterne was not so lucky as in April, 1984 the Daily Echo carried a short story announcing its demise under the headline: "Store Closing.''
According to Keith Marsh, vice-chairman of Bitterne Local History Society: "The shop opened in the 1950s and closed about the time the Bitterne bypass was built and part of Bitterne Road became pedestrianised, and local rumour had it that it ceased trading because it was company policy not to have shops in precincts, a suggestion later proved to be false when Above Bar became traffic-free.
"Woolworths' shop then became Share Drug Stores, and in 1988 the company, founded by Bitterne entrepreneurs Alan Price and his wife, Sylvia, was bought by Kingfisher, which at the time owned Woolworths and Superdrug, and the latter currently trade at the shop.''
Memories of the shop were rekindled by the recent news that Woolworths is set to return to Bitterne and is due to start trading later this year in October with a range of 10,000 products.
The new store will take the number of Woolworths in the area to five - Shirley, Woolston, Totton and Portswood, with larger stores in Eastleigh, Romsey and Fareham.
This comes after the company surprised shoppers last August when it announced it was to close its major store that had stood for so long in Above Bar, Southampton.
4:47pm Monday 17th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Good memory on 9:34pm Sat 29 Mar 08
"The shop opened in the 1950s and closed about the time the Bitterne bypass was built and part of Bitterne Road became pedestrianised, and local rumour had it that it ceased trading because it was company policy not to have shops in precincts, a suggestion later proved to be false when Above Bar became traffic-free."
But Above Bar was traffic free long before 1984 so it wasn't later proved to be false.
"The shop opened in the 1950s and closed about the time the Bitterne bypass was built and part of Bitterne Road became pedestrianised, and local rumour had it that it ceased trading because it was company policy not to have shops in precincts, a suggestion later proved to be false when Above Bar became traffic-free."
But Above Bar was traffic free long before 1984 so it wasn't later proved to be false.
Posted by: Doreen on 3:39pm Fri 4 Apr 08
your right they are alot smaller lol ,
your right they are alot smaller lol ,
Posted by: Martin, Bitterne on 11:05am Mon 14 Jul 08
I knew Bitterne Woolworths,but find nothing memorable about it, and I feel sorry for you, that you have probably missed the true Aladdins cave era, which for me was the time of the Above Bar & East St branches immediately following the war. Above Bar branch had a cafeteria which smelled lovely all over the building.They used massive double spouted teapots which they ran along a whole row of lined up cups. They poured the tea out along stacked trays of cups without stopping till all the cups were full.There was so much demand from the throngs of waiting customers. This branch had been hit by the Blitz, and temporary gang planks led into the back entrance from Vincents Walk. There were masses of G.I.s and other service men there. No self service then,and the vast counters seemed to be stacked with all sorts of interesting goodies, and not all the same stuff you could find in every other store. I remember every year, the first day after Christmas, Woollies would sell off all their broken toys for a 1d (one old penny). I am afraid now that Woolworths have lost their unique identity , and are just 'Run of the Mill'....no different from any other store. Having been born in 1940, I have missed the 'Five & Dime' or '6d & 1/-' era.....Perhaps that era would have been even more interesting. That saying about the 'Good ol' Days' certainly has got something going for it.....it's not all in the imagination I'm sure.
I knew Bitterne Woolworths,but find nothing memorable about it, and I feel sorry for you, that you have probably missed the true Aladdins cave era, which for me was the time of the Above Bar & East St branches immediately following the war. Above Bar branch had a cafeteria which smelled lovely all over the building.They used massive double spouted teapots which they ran along a whole row of lined up cups. They poured the tea out along stacked trays of cups without stopping till all the cups were full.There was so much demand from the throngs of waiting customers. This branch had been hit by the Blitz, and temporary gang planks led into the back entrance from Vincents Walk. There were masses of G.I.s and other service men there. No self service then,and the vast counters seemed to be stacked with all sorts of interesting goodies, and not all the same stuff you could find in every other store. I remember every year, the first day after Christmas, Woollies would sell off all their broken toys for a 1d (one old penny). I am afraid now that Woolworths have lost their unique identity , and are just 'Run of the Mill'....no different from any other store. Having been born in 1940, I have missed the 'Five & Dime' or '6d & 1/-' era.....Perhaps that era would have been even more interesting. That saying about the 'Good ol' Days' certainly has got something going for it.....it's not all in the imagination I'm sure.
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