Extra time for Woolies bargains
Woolworths stores given an extra 24 hours to clear their shelves admitted today they may be forced to close earlier if shoppers continued to pour through the doors to snap up the remaining bargains on offer.
The store giant's last 200 branches, including its outlet in Wednesfield, are now due to close tomorrow after being given a 24-hour reprieve by administrators.
But devastated workers at the store, which is located in High Street, Wednesfield, said there may not even be enough stock left in the branch to allow them to open the doors for one last time tomorrow.
Store manager Carol Dunkombe said: "There is not a lot left, basically just a few DVDs, CDs and clothes.
"I expect the weather will keep most people away today but I think it will be busy tomorrow, that's if we have anything left by then.
"There is a possibility everything will be gone by tomorrow and so we wouldn't even be able to open if that was the case, but if we do open the store to customers it definitely won't be trading for the whole day.
"It is an extremely sad time for everybody here. I have 15 members of staff and it is like a little family.
"I am very proud to have been a store manager for Woolworths and have loved every minute of my time with the company."
The firm's administrator Deloitte gave each branch an extra day of trading to allow workers to clear away the remaining stock from the store shelves.
Wolverhampton's main branch was initially due to close on Friday but was given until Saturday to sell off items. But staff ended up pulling down the shutters at 11.15am after bargain hunters stripped the shelves bare in just two hours.
Bloxwich, Brierley Hill and Stafford branches also shut on Saturday. Customers were seen walking away with shopping baskets, shelves, trolleys and staff tables and chairs.
Toys, games, DVDs, CDs, bikes and clothing have all been sold off with massive discounts.
After almost a century on the high street, the chain went bust last month amid the credit crisis and plummeting consumer spending. The collapse of the high street icon has left 27,000 workers facing redundancy nationwide.
More than half the UK stores have already shut for good, with at least 150 of the retailer's 807 outlets having their last day on December 30. Stores in West Bromwich, Wednesbury, Halesowen and Stourbridge have already been closed.
Branches at Bearwood, Cannock, Kings Heath in Birmingham and Lichfield are also set to close their doors tomorrow.
