Doors open at former Woolworths

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Former Woolworths staff managed to get jobs at Alworths which is recruiting for Christmas

Exactly a year after Woolworths went bust, a new store has opened in a Berkshire high street in the same premises.

Alworths in Peach Street, Wokingham, has employed about 32 former Woolworths staff and plans to take on more workers by Christmas.

The chain was created by Andy Latham, a former executive at Woolworths.

Stores employing ex-staff have also opened in Didcot, Oxfordshire, and Evesham, Worcestershire.

Hundreds of people turned out for the Wokingham store's first day of trading.

'Doom and gloom'

Store manager Wendy Hutchinson said it was just what the town needed.

"It has been very emotional, there were lots of ex-colleagues outside to cheer us on and some colleagues inside that had previously worked here so it was a really good start to the day", she added.

"It was only a year ago that there was so much doom and gloom and here we are opening a brand new store."

Managing director Andy Latham said he believed there was still a strong demand for stores of its kind in the high street.

He said: "We're really excited to be launching in Wokingham and we hope the store will be well received by the local community.

"I firmly believe there's still a demand for people to go down to their local high streets of market town like Wokingham and do their convenience local shopping."

In February, the former Woolworths store in Dorchester's High Street was reopened under the name Wellworths by manager Claire Robertson.