Woolworths collapse 5th Anniversary: My tour of Woolworths' old stores

My ongoing UK tour – photographing ex-Woolworths stores, and tracking what they’ve become – gives an intriguing snapshot of how our retail centres are changing.

Across the 251 stores that I’ve visited – nearly a third of the 807-strong estate – more than 60 different expanding retailers are represented.

Of the key trends, the rise of Poundland is particularly remarkable. Occupying one in ten sites – more than any other retailer – Poundland has snapped up premises of all sizes, nationwide. It’s also mopped up ex-Woolworths space originally occupied by Ethel Austin and TJ Hughes, before they too collapsed.

Indeed, demonstrating the level of churn on the high street, more than one in six former Woolworths are already on to their second (or more) post-Woolies occupant.

Other value chains have also thrived off the back of Woolworths’ demise freeing up prime locations, sometimes for the first time in generations. B&M has seized the opportunity in medium-sized towns across the country, while The Original Factory Shop has done the same in smaller towns, establishing itself as a major anchor.

Poundland’s single-price rivals have also accelerated their growth, 99p Stores expanding particularly aggressively in the south, and Poundworld taking space under both its eponymous and Discount UK fascias.

Meanwhile, longer-established names have also grown their estates. Hardware chain Wilkinson has been able to build its presence in regions where it was previously weak, such as the South West and Scotland. In many cases, it has taken the modern, shopping centre locations that Woolworths opened in the 1990s and 2000s.

Iceland has expanded too, taking units nationwide in both cities and small towns – sometimes in places where it had disposed of sites previously. Among the fashion chains, M&Co has notably cemented its presence in well-to-do market towns.

With such buoyant demand from big multiples – and less than 3% of ex-Woolworths stores currently empty – it’s unsurprising that few have been taken by independents, though Ledbury’s Wellworth It! continues to thrive where Wellworths, Alworths and other Woolies soundalikes failed.

So, five years’ on from Woolworths’ demise, it’s clear that our high streets are complex, dynamic and exciting. But dead? Evidently not.