Published: Tuesday, 30th December, 2008 1:02pm

Woolies closure leaves 19 jobless

by Elaine Birse

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Shoppers make their last visit to Alloa Woolworths for the closing down sale.
Pic by: David Robertson

IT was the end of an era in Alloa"s town centre this week as Woolworths closed its doors for the final time.

The Mill Street store closed to customers on Monday. The 18 employees and manager then had the two-day task of clearing the shop before the New Year.

Joint Administrators Deloitte announced last week that the Alloa store would close on 29 December. It will be followed by the Stirling Woolworths store in The Thistles Shopping Centre.

It will be a gloomy start to the New Year for staff, many of whom have worked in the Alloa town centre store for nearly ten years. The Advertiser understands that one employee had worked there for 18 years.

The situation has been given a "high priority" rating by Job Centre Plus in Mar Street which plans to meet with staff to discuss employment opportunities.

Branches of Woolworths began closing across the country on 27 December with the last of the 807 stores shutting on 5 January. Negotiations for the sale of the retail business have been ongoing but have failed to find a buyer.

Woolworths currently employs 22,000 permanent members of staff and 5000 temporary and seasonal staff.

John Hannett, General Secretary of shopworkers" union Usdaw said, 'I am personally devastated for the 30,000 Woolworths staff and our members can rest assured we will do everything we can to assist them at this difficult time.

'The Woolworths staff are extremely loyal, dedicated and well trained and wherever vacancies exist in the retail sector we will use our contacts to find alternative employment as speedily as possible.'