The Wonder Of Woolies: Lookalike Store Opens

The spirit of Woolworths is set to be alive and well once again in a town in Oxfordshire.

Alworths is opening in Didcot on the site of an old Woolworths shop, under the aegis of Andy Latham, former head of stores and concessions at Woolies.

Mr Latham and 15 former Woolworths colleagues are basing the new shop on the format of their old employer, which opened its first UK outlet exactly 100 years ago.

He aims to open four more Alworths before Christmas, 22 within the next 12 months and up to 50 altogether.

Mr Latham is convinced his stores will succeed where Woolworths failed because they are going to be a "leaner and meaner affair".

"We are very much targeting smaller markets and therefore can react much more quickly than a chain with 800 plus stores," he told Sky News Online.

"Our customers can be defined as adults with kids in their lives.

"While they might go to the supermarket as a chore - and take the children with them - they are likely to see High Street shopping as more fun, and that's where we come in."

Mr Latham said the recession was a good time to start up such a business.

"There is demand for the regeneration of high streets and we believe Alworths will fulfill demand that other retailers haven't captured."

The shops will be opened mainly in market towns across Britain, with as many as possible opening on former Woolworths sites.

It will be a general retailer, stocking a mix of branded toys, sweets, homeware, stationery, seasonal and garden products.

It will also offer a large selection of pic 'n mix - the most missed of all Woolworths' products - along with party accessories, cards and wrap.

The last of the 807 Woolworths shops closed in January 2009.