I remember mum bought one of my very first singles for me after I had stared at it for ages it was the Spice Girls thankfully my musical taste has developed since then but I will always remember that day

Also that it seems every town and city in Wales has a Woolies. It doesn't matter if the town centre is tiny and there's one a few miles up the road there will always be a Woolies there!

Bethan, 21, Stockport

My first and only ever shoplifting at age 4 - couldn't understand why I wasn't allowed an already opened walnut whip so I helped myself...only to be given away by the chocolate all over my face!

Lynda, 34, Brighton

The free pick 'n' mix!

Steve, 29, Manchester

Pick & mix, great time & friends that I will always remember!!!!

Azfer, 25, Kingston

Going back to the 60s, it laid out its stalls in such a way that it was bizarrely easy to steal plastic soldiers from! In fact, so easy that it induced an odd sensation of guilt that made me stop!

James, 51, Petersfield

The first CD I ever bought was from Woolworths as a child

I regret to say it wasn't the finest single in my CD collection, but to me Mr Blobby was the most amazing song at the time!

Alex, 26, Leicester

Leaving the company in 2006 to become a teacher after realising that their graduate scheme was a waste of time.

Aaron, 26, Loughborough

In the late 1930ss our nearest Wooolworths was always full. So much so that my grandmother's sisters who favoured an afternoon nap used to pop into Woolworths and, sound asleep, were manoeuvred by the moving crowd around the store.

Tony, 77, Portsmouth (originally)

Woolworth's was where my short and unsuccessful shoplifting career began, aged ten.

Chris, 54, Ashford, Middlesex

I was a Saturday (and Bank Holiday) girl in Hastings, Sussex, in the mid-Sixties. I remember working one Christmas Eve and we had to take down the decorations which festooned the store. Then the manager told us we could take what we wanted...we used the tinsel for years on our Christmas tree. The most recent memory is going back to Doncaster for a holiday and trying to get some stick on soles - yes, Woolworth's had them! I should have bought more...and I used to love Californian Poppy perfume and always bought Ashes of Violet bath salts for my mummy's Christmas present!!

Those were the days....

Angela, 63, Bracebridge, Canada

My earliest memory is of buying warm salted peanuts in a little greaseproof paper bag from the branch at Stratford upon Avon, where I lived as a child. And also choosing a doll from there for my 7th birthday - she had eyes which closed, and dark brown hair, & I called her 'Peggy'.

Karen, 52, Nottingham

I worked at Woolworths for 5 years. It's a fantastic company, with staff trying and working so hard. Losing Woolies will mean less people on our high streets AGAIN, taking away from the small business to the supermarkets. My greatest memory is working over Christmas, the fun and good spirit you can have in Woolworths. The current situation is tragic, and a reflection on why supermarkets ever expanding range should be stopped.

Sarah, 24, Coventry

I worked at Woolies during the 70s and when no one was looking I used to nick a sweet from the pick and mix.

Maralyn, 54, Hull

Changing their name to Woolco here and eventually selling out and becoming Wal-Mart.

Ross, 32, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Cheap colourful clothes (dressing up) and great stationery for the kids. The great thing of finding almost everything you always thought of getting to fix something at home. All sort of practical stuff at great prices. Where are we going to go and find them under just one roof?!

Maria, 45, London

The pic'n'mix of course!! I used to go there as a child and would leave with a bag full of yummy things and a big smile because I still had some of my pocket money left. Sadly it became overpriced and lost the range of sweeties available so it never quite got to be a stop on pocket money day for my own children. I think ill-mannered and incompetent staff did them no favour, that and the garish tat on half price offer jumbled all over the place. It is a shame that a once great shop was unable to adapt to the requirements needed to be successful and grow in profitability.

Samantha, 38, Portsmouth

I remember shopping with my mother in the Shirley, Southampton branch.

I remember broken biscuits bought by the pound, shovelled in to a brown paper bag which my mother always reused.

Miner's white lipstick, Bourjois rouge, Evening In Paris scent in a little dark blue bottle and American Tan stockings and then tights.

Many years later a friend stole a drill ( I never did work out why) from the Above Bar branch. She could still be on the run.

Maureen, 55, Southampton

We never shopped in Woolies (I had a Saturday job in BHS so got my staff discount there). In 1978 I was "leaving home" to start life as a student in the Midlands. Wandering through Woolies in Reading I saw a set of crockery (4 big plates, 4 small, teacups and saucers and cereal bowls) which I thought were OK to look at, buying crockery was something I had never done before and it seemed a responsibly grown-up thing to do!!!!!

Well that full set is now 30 years old and sitting in our summer cabin in a Finnish forest. I used it at Uni in the UK and I used it for many years in France before moving to Hungary and finally to Finland. Great value for money, what a bargain I think it was less than £5. Now we are five, so it doesn't get used so often!

Probably the only thing I ever bought in that shop (though I seem to remember wearing Ladybird pyjamas in my distant youth)

Penny, 50, Helsinki

The shiny wooden floors, the broken biscuit counter, the Pic 'n' mix, the wonderful Xmas decorations that cost so little. Our Woolies is right opposite our huge covered market in the middle of St Helier and was a major meeting place for everyone on the island on a Saturday afternoon when I was a child. When I was a teenager and worked in the market as a Saturday girl I would spend my lunch hours in the record department listening to records in those booths with the holey walls, and trying out the make-up on the Miners counter.

I still shop there and their bedding and bathroom stuff is still the best value for money. The high street will not be the same without Woolies.

Erica, 51, Jersey

When I was young I used to meet up with my friends we would go in get a pic n mix and get the most recent CD this is where you can get all your stuff for friends and family

Matthew, 21

I used to go there to buy all the latest music, 7" & 12" singles! Nowadays we just download everthing. The pick 'n' mix was also a favourite. It used to be an enjoyable place to shop, however now the layout of the shops is horrible.

Lisa, 36, Birmingham

Have you noticed that younger commenters all think it was a hopeless place and older people remember Woolies at its best? That's because it's been in steep decline for a decade: nothing to do with the credit crunch, just the short-termism, mismanagement and self-seeking director's bonus culture that's wrecked so many of our commercial powerhouses

Michael, 48, Bromley

Its fantastic record department, top 10 singles, Miners make-up, the whole shop crammed with teenagers' goodies.

Jane, 41, Dudley

Getting all my baby and childhood clothes from there, as well as shoes and slippers. Also gazing longingly at the pick'n'mix, I was never allowed it, and was envious of the kids who were!

Claire, 16, Ashford

My only memories of the place involve going in, looking in vain for what I wanted to buy, and ending up going elsewhere. Everytime. Bland, unimaginative, understocked, totally directionless, it's no real shock it's going under.

Adam, 32, Liverpool

Christmastime in the 1950s, being able to buy replacement light bulbs for fairy-lights which were in different shapes, Chinese lanterns, Santas and so forth. None of them packaged in plastic or cellophane, just hundreds on the display counter from which to choose. And of course, the gold lettering on a red background of "F.W. Woolworth" just like their American counterparts, long since gone in the USA.

David, 69, Newbury

My memory of Woolworths was as a very small child. The counters were just at my eye level, but what wonders. The counters were filled with trays, each of which held all sorts of small toys. Hand-stitched oiled cloth (before plastic) pigs; wooden farm animals of every type; baby dolls made of rubber. And the acres of trays of sweets! And the smells of all these things was the smell of Woolies. You could get anything there. All gone now.

Caroline, 68, Bristol

I can remember shopping with my grannie in Woolworths store in Sutton Coldfield, I must have been about 5 at the time, she bought broken biscuits which were offered for sale at a cheaper price. All the biscuits were loose in big biscuit tins, and I could hardly see over the top of the boxes, I longed for more expensive biscuits, some of them looked delicious, but we just couldn't afford them, hence the broken biscuits.

Dianne Thomas, 63, Newcastle under Lyme

Going to Woolies in the late 1970s and pestering my father to buy me an outfit for my Action Man.... cannot believe that I still have it - somewhere in the attic!

Sad to see Woolies go....

Rajesh, 35, Leicester

Classy Ladybird dress bought for me by mum and then buying my first ever mascara, Rimmel in a flat tray with a brush. Never stopped going there, they are a lifeline in small high streets and my one is always heaving - just been in there and it's even busier than usual. Everyone queueing to pay was telling the staff how sad they were, poor guys must go home and weep tonight. If someone does buy it I hope they look at numbers by individual store and keep the busy ones open.

Millsy, 40, London

Pick 'n' Mix... as a child, plus the rulers and colouring pencils that were essential as a 10 year old....

I have to say I won't really miss it...somewhere down the line their strategy fails...there was no product focus in the store at all. You had no idea what you would find on the shelves and what you wouldn't.

Nur, 21, London

My first job as a Saturday girl then went on to work full-time in the office, had some good times working for Woolies.

Pat, 52, Newcastle

In 1971 I worked in Edmonton, N London as a Saturday girl. To get in you had to do a maths test adding up so many yards of elastic plus bars of chocolate etc.

The stock room smelt of the plimsolls and we had to run upstairs to find the sizes for customers. Boxes of Miners make up alongside curtain rails and heels to mend shoes.

As a child I used to go to Wood Green high street and lust after the toys, I longed for the yellow plastic piggy bank, the security box with its own key, the chimpanzee with its arms up and the red Silvine notebooks.

Recent visits to Woolies have made me sad, lost their way and no longer having a draw on customers, lots of garish toys and not much else.

Christine, 54, Bristol

Oh come on, it was rubbish! Overpriced pick n mix, albums from a really limited selection of artists, naff kitchenware and a random selection of kids' tat.

My main memories are of going in there for something, usually a floor mop or pyrex dish or children's party table cloth, being unable to find it, being unable to find a member of staff to help as they were all marooned miles away on the tills, and then going to the pound shop next door where they would be very helpful and would invariably have just what I needed.

So it's no loss to me, I just feel very sorry for all the people who are going to be out of work.

Meg, 31, London

I remember buying my first make-up in Woolies - Miners white lipstick (well, it was the early sixties!).

Trish, 56, Workington

At the age of 9 (in 1965) I recall spending many a Saturday afternoon trawling from one end of Park Road, Liverpool, to the other - my sixpence pocket money (two and a half pence now) burning a hole in my pocket. I always ended at Woolworths. I remember that my shoulders only just came up to counter height and I had to stand on tiptoe to gaze and inspect the many wondrous items on offer. I was always drawn to the plastic, sparkly purses which of course were way out of my price range. One not so nice memory was the fact that at Easter one year my grandmother had given me and my brothers an Easter egg made of Duncans chocolate. They tasted awful; really cheap choccie with just a wrapper, no box and certainly no filling. I remember they cost ninepence. For my cousins, she gave them gloriously filled eggs, in a hamper and surrounded by even more chocolates.

When Woolworths in Chester closed (in the 70s, I think) it was a great loss. When they re-opened in Chester in the 90s it was a welcome return and I hope we can keep them now. It would be a great loss to the high streets.

I also remember stealing, at the age of 9, a sparkly purse from Woolies in Park Road, Liverpool. We were poor by anyone's standards and I just couldn't resist the sparkle. My mum's friend who lived at the top of our street worked there and saw me. She told my parents who in turn told the police. I received a visit from a policeman who gave me a right dressing down - as did my mum and dad. The shame stayed with me for decades and to this day I have never stolen anything else.

Norma, 52, Chester

Cheap albums on the "Music for Pleasure" label, usually featuring the Geoff Love Orchestra covering movie themes and similar material: my first exposure to non-pop music as a young boy, which attuned me to classical music years later.

And the HUGE "Woolworths Restaurant" next to Blackpool Tower when I was on holiday!

Kevin, 39, Torrance, Glasgow

I worked as a Saturday girl in the restaurant, which was mostly fun as long as I didn't get stuck in the kitchen peeling spuds. Clearing tables and talking to the customers was the best bit, but if you ended up on the till, the pensioners used to shout at you because everything was too expensive!

Toni, 47, Newcastle

I made them part of my rounds when I was a kid and went looking for the best place to drop my $10 allowance on action figures. They always had the least picked over character selection, it's where I found my original black suit spider man, my many Lex Luthor figures and where I got the big Boulder Hill MASK playset on layaway with my paper route money. All my memories of that place are as a kid. I don't know why but when I "got all growed up" and needed socks or something I just never even thought of them!

Name not given

Buying Miners lipsticks "The Palest" and ghostly pale foundation. Slopping round on a Saturday with my mates. I still love shopping there and I am really sad to see them go.

Sara, 57, Worthing

My first job was as a Saturday girl in our small local store which closed 20 years ago. I was on the sweet and loose biscuit counter. The manager was a bit scary but I loved it there. It wasn't quite the same after the store was modernised.

It is still the only shop today I know of selling stick-on soles and metal curtain hooks.

Lynn, 55, Atherstone

Working there aged 13 as a Saturday girl and being put on the meat counter to slice cooked meat on that lethal slicer thing. Okay it was the 80s and it wouldn't happen now.

They moved me to the tills and made my life hell, because I dared to point out it was in fact illegal for me to operate said lethal machine.

I hated working there, we weren't allowed to make eye contact with the store detective, who was a scary harridan. One of the worst experiences of my life I'm afraid

Annie, 42, York

Ex-employee. When I first joined I was taken round a store with a very senior manager. "These shelves seem to be popular," he said, whilst I gawped aghast at filthy, empty shelves. I really don't think senior people saw how bad it was after a while. I also think that there was too much internal politicking which meant that good ideas were very hard to implement (sorry, just realised this sounds a bit like our Government!!)

I also remember a store manager almost in tears because of the excessive hours he had to work over Christmas, so please give them a thought this year, especially with no certainty of a job in January.

And spare a thought for our pensions too!

Elaine, 39, Oxford

Wasn't Woollies the Ladybird range of clothes and books? I remember being taken in on the way home from school and wanting to stay and read the books. Also the old fashioned wooden counters and wooden floors.

Ally, 45, Teddington

the wooden floor and the old fashioned counters and tills......

Mary-Ellen, 50, Windsor

My overriding memory is Woolworths 'Winfield' own brand trainers my parents used to buy me, just plain black with white stripes in an adidas style! You just don't get parents buying kids this type of product now with such emphasis on labels these days.

Peter, 37, Dawlish

I bought myself a pick'n'mix today... 27/11/2008 and I am going to really miss it when it goes!!

I also can not believe the amazing prices of the DVDs in there! I got Dreamgirls for just £3!!!!

You shall be missed Woolies!! You shall be missed!!!

Rosie, 16, Sittingbourne

I worked at Woolworths in Godalming as a Saturday boy when I was 16 and used to unload the trucks and sort stock. Many fond memories of staff and customers but times change.....they simply failed to adapt.

Rhys, 33, London

My first ever work was as a Saturday girl for Woolworths. I bought Xmas presents for my family with my wages.

The local ones are dives nowadays though.

Hazel, 55, Leeds

Loose biscuits. Always got the broken ones cheaper...

Sue, 49, Gosport

One of my earliest memories is sitting on my dad's shoulders and going into Woolies to by an Abba record for my mum's birthday back in the late 70s.

It'll be such a shame if Woolies closes. I used to buy everything there. Honestly, I think I got every bit of kitchenware I own from there, as well as it being the place that decorated most of my house.

Also, the great price on kids clothes and toys helped a lot as a young, and rather broke parent. Even now, being no longer so broke, I still love popping in there to buy bits and bobs. It's a bargain store with a great atmosphere and a true comfort zone.

Name not given

I've worked at Woolies for almost ten years now and the main thing I remember is the friendliness of both the staff and the customers. Woolworths really is/was the family store and made everyone feel welcome. It will be very sadly missed by me and my many!

Jenni, 26, Ashton under Lyne

I was a Saturday Girl at the Epping Branch of Woolworths when I was 14 in 1979, I was responsible for bagging up seed potatoes and then promoted to the pick and mix. Woe betide you if were caught with your hand in the pick and mix, it was instant dismissal. We nicknamed the floor manager Mussolini. Still it was my first introduction into the working world and it was valuable experience. Very sad if this company disappears.

Helen, 43, Epping

When I was little, Woolworths was always the place to go to buy the little things that no other shop would be sure of having - coloured thread, house paint, can openers, fabric dye. In the last few years though, that's all changed - I wouldn't count on a modern Woolworths having any of these things. They *might* do, but they stopped being reliable. I think they lost their way and didn't know what kind of shop they were anymore.

Kate, 34, Bristol

Going in as a student and coming out with bags of Christmas decorations for about ten quid.

Let's be honest though, it was a shoddy shop. When was the last time one of your favourite stores went bust? It's always the tacky, lazy ones that go.

Peter, 28, Bath

There are far too many to mention...Woolworths was far more than just a shop to me - as a child it meant so much. Each stage of my life is reflected there - from providing toys and pick and mix as a child, to introducing me to music when I had to scrape together my pocket money to buy a single as a teenager, to filling my student houses with its homeware as a young adult...it's always been there and it means a great deal to me - I'm just sad the journey is over. Woolworths will be greatly missed.

Rebecca, 24, Brighton

I worked in Woolies in Richmond upon Thames as a school boy from the age of 14 to 18. The highlight of my career was working on the Deli Counter setting up the bacon, sausages, cheese etc at 6.30am on a Saturday morning with Neil Young blasting out at full volume from the record department. The most memorable moment was the embarassment of being asked to stock the sanitary towels section in case any of your friends came into the store.

Bart, 49, Hampton Wick

I was a shop girl at the Woolworths in New Malden when I was 16 over the Christmas period - I remember being so rushed off my feet that I had no time to get presents for my family so I bought them all gifts from Woolies on my lunch break, which included a gigantic box of sweets for my brother, a rubbish cd for my mum and a book for my dad. I think I got my sister one of those giant 1kg bars of Dairy Milk. Nobody complained and to be fair, my gifts haven't gotten any more imaginative!!

Natalie, 29, Worcester Park

On my first trip as a child with my own money I spotted they had loose Smarties far cheaper than the tubes. I filled my bag with them and bought as much as I could carry. I was horrified to find they were cheap imitation smarties with a horrible chocolate on them. I felt so disillusioned and cheated. Have hated them ever since.

Gordon, 45, Ayr

I was amazed to find out the Woolworths in California smelled the same as the store in Hendon! 1d sachets of White Rain shampoo; Evening in Paris perfume; Parma Violet breath sweets; Rimmel blue eyeshadow.

Pat, 63, Bakersfield, California

My first and only crime - shoplifting a copy of the first Jam single from a rack in Woolies in order to look rebellious in front of my own personal Saturday Girl.

Michael, 48, Bromley

I've always loved Woolworths stores, I thoroughly enjoyed looking through all their music and films before buying a shed load of pick n mix. It was always my life's dream to work behind the CD counter there, I guess this will remain an un-fulfilled dream.

Ian, 29, Chelmsford

Whenever I travelled abroad, I went to Woolworths to buy pick'n'mix and other brands of chocolate that were not available in other stores or were much more expensive. They had amazing products and prices. Too bad they ran an unsustainable business model. I hope that there are suitable proposals to revive they retail chain ingrained deep in to the collective memory.

Alex, 34, Loughborough

As a child I can remember buying warm, salted peanuts which were sold by weight in greaseproof paper bags. Nowhere else, to my knowledge sold them like that and they were delicious.

Janie, 56, Northampton

I remember the Woolies in Southend from when I was a child. Old fashioned by today's standards, wooden floors and separate oblong display areas with a space in the middle for the till and the assistant. My favourite was always the one with the Airfix models. It was a thrill to save up 7/6d (37.5p) for something like an Avro Lancaster. It is the old style stores that I will miss even though they have long gone.

Ray, 55, Clacton on Sea

When I was little, it was all about the Pick 'n' Mix...if I'd been extra good I was even allowed to have the jelly snakes, as a special treat!

Katie, 19, Weymouth

Even though my Mum was a single parent & poor she made sure my clothes were from Woolies & my shoes were from Clarkes. I buy presents for my friends' children there & while I hardly go in it has a place in my heart. I will be going in on Friday doing some Christmas shopping. Unfortunately a lot of people are out there like me. We don't shop there much & should have done to give it a chance. It's a shame, I hope someone takes at least the name on so it can continue.

Catherine, 26, Leigh

I can recall the mahogany counters and the red and white 6p price tickets. Each segment of the counter spilling over with interesting items, but for me the toys were the most interesting, Multicoloured plastic planes and boxes of flat lead soldiers laid in white tissue.

A child's heaven.

David, 68, London

Was -

A cosy big shop on the high street that I always went in when nearby and usually found something to buy.

Became -

A huge sterile supermarket-like barn out of the way in a new precinct that I rarely visited and almost never found anything to buy. Also, most put off by sight of staff (kids) playing football with the cuddly toys while stocking shelves.

Ahhh - progress. Shopping should be an experience - not a transaction.

JD, 50, Loughborough

When you hear the name 'Woolworths' mentioned, the first thing that springs to mind is the term 'Pick 'n' Mix'.

The two things are deeply implanted in my childhood memories. My mam would take me & my younger sister to 'Woolies' on a Saturday and the Pick 'n' mix counter is where we would get our reward for 'good behaviour!

Les, 46, Darlington

I was a 'Saturday girl' in Woolies in East London in the early 70s and had a great time. It was a special store in those days selling everything from electricals and cosmetics to grocery and a very popular deli counter. Christmas time was always great although as a Saturday girl I used to get put on the electric counter in charge of selling Christmas lights, each set had to be pre tested and if they didn't work, it was my job to test each bulb. Unfortunately these days Woolies seems to have lost its identity and needs to review what made it a success. I hope it survives

Doreen, 55, Colchester

A Saturday morning in Leicester often included a trip to Woolies to drool over, and - pocket money permitting - purchase the latest plastic-bagged Airfix kit.

Then I would stride the wooden floorboards (with their characteristic smell) to listen to mostly rubbish UK covers of US hits on cheapo Essoldo own-label records.

One last thing - Woolies in Leicester market place introduced me to my first 'soft' ice cream via a huge Dalek-like pulsing machine near the door. Yum! It was the first ice cream I truly enjoyed!

I might add that Woolies is still a port of call for DVDs and the like. Trust the chain survives...

David, 62, Brill

As a kid in England - the huge number of Airfix model kits, and Lone Star toy trains.

I think I got most of my Airfix kits from Woolies.

...and their wooden counter displays.

Martin, 56, Shalimar, Florida

Getting my first ever pay packet in 1974, aged 17 - just over £10 - and rushing down to Woolies in Headingley's Arndale Centre where, giddy with wealth, I blew most of it on make-up and sweets.

Catherine, 51, Manchester

Always dirty, unwelcoming, 1970s staff apparel, overpriced electricals. All in all, a tardy, dated and tacky shopping experience. Not really surprised its gone under tbh.

Chris, 29, Nottingham

Taking my pocket money on a Saturday to buy the latest 7" single releases and a bag of pick 'n' mix.

Jenny, 38, Brighton

I loved popping in to Woolies for the occasional treat with my mum or gran, and I'd always head straight for the pick'n'mix aisle - the jelly snakes were firm favourites!

Caitlin, 17, Edinburgh

I was shocked how old the Ilford store looked from the outside.

It looks like they haven't upgraded it since it was built 99 years ago

Jaydeo, 26, Sutton

I love Woolworths I use to go and get my pick and mix, we brought all our xmas presents from there and still shop in the store regularly.

Sarah, 24, Dartford, Kent

Going to the broken biscuit counter as a child and coming home with an enormous bag of biscuits for very little money. (The pink wafers were the best.)

Later, as a Saturday girl working on the pick and mix counter, being astonished to learn that we were allowed to eat the sweets! They weren't daft - after an initial pig-out on the first day and going home feeling sick - consumption went down rapidly . . .

Beth, 48, Winchester

Putting a penny sweet in my pocket when I was little, then feeling bad and putting it back.

Ivana, 24, London

As a child going into the local Woolies in Leigh-on-Sea to buy a plastic mac as the weather had changed. We always bought bucket and spades and flip flops from them.

Then as a teenager buying the latest single or LP.

Mary, 52, Hornchurch

Pick n Mix - especially the raspberry cremes - and my red Ladybird dressing gown with plastic ladybird buttons that I wore way after I had grown out of it.

Miriam, 44, Bristol

Choosing sweets at the pick and mix - a rare treat! Once I was a parent myself, going back to my local Woolies and buying welly boots for my young children.

Becca, 41, Plymouth

Sweets, toys, cds and everything else you could possibly think of under one roof....we were also lucky to be the only woolworths in the country with a cafe inside too...what a great place!

Angela, 31, Hitchin

I can well remember the fascia with the 3d and 6d stores sign. On Saturday mornings I would go with my friends with a few pence and choose things from the counters where you were served by an assistant. Also I was always intrigued by the beetroot sandwiches behind a glass screen that must have been the forerunner of the 'takeaway' although you could eat them there (along with other things) and buy a hot drink sitting at a counter on high stools.

Grace, 72, Ruislip

Going in to Woolworths when i was young with my mother and older brother. The joy of picking out an easter egg in a cup!!! Loved it.

Judith, 19, Belfast

The Pic 'n' Mix!

My mum always got me some if i was good :D

Ej, 14, Exeter

The utter titilating display of the wall of glory (pick and mix to us adults) but as a child when it towers above you - stretching out in both directions.

The heady sugar smell of preservatives and e numbers that make your spit blue. The riot of colours and shapes of different sugar coated delights. From the pastel shades of the flying saucers, unctuous browns of chocolate covered nuts and dread it fruit! To the day glo rats, inspiring dreams of radio active creatures.

The sheer choice on what to choose and which to cut out, do you try something new.. choices choices, thank the Lord i went every week!

Lex, 22, East Molesey

My main memory of Woolies is stealing Yoyo's and flogging them at half price at school.

I'm surprised it has taken this long for the effect to tell.

David, 60, Dubai

It was the first major store built on the bomb site that was the centre of Coventry. It appeared just behind what I remember was Alwoods, Atkins & Turtons (?) the only pre-war survivor in that area.

I loved the hot roast peanuts, the cheap chocolate Easter nests, with eggs (made from powdered milk substitute?) and the open counters where you could spend your sixpence pocket money on a pencil, a notebook, a rubber. It was a true bazaar when I was a kid. Take it back to that; novelty alone would bring in the crowds.

Angela, 61, Coventry

The best random, weird, unrecognisable small sweet collection ever seen on earth.

Vanessa, 38, Chachapoyas, Amazonas, Peru

Worst memory: working in it

David, 34, Milan

Blackcurrant and liquorice sweets at the pick and mix

Mandy, 34, London

I work for Woolworths myself and so I will be extremely lost without it, I have many memories myself of shopping in our town store when i was 11 and buying the PJ and Duncan album - ready to rumble!!

We've been around so long I don't think there's anyone that doesn't have some memory or a story to tell.

I've spent the last few days in work worried about what this new worry will bring like how will I feed and clothe my daughter if it does close as let's face it there is no jobs around at present. But i have to say I've spent all of today listening to some lovely customers tell me their favourite memory and how they always shop with us as we have better quality on some of our products then the other companies, I've been told to keep my chin up as we've got to get through this bad patch the same way we've gotten through the last couple of bad patches.xx

Stacey, 27, Newport, South Wales

The smell.

James, 58, Yeovil

Going along with my brother and a couple of street mates and aiding them to nick plastic daleks in the 70s. Needless to say we were caught, or at least my brother was and it was also the first and only time I had gone with them, though I was a receiver with no questions asked at the age of about 12 :o)

Brian, 54, London

Calling in on a Saturday afternoon after swimming at the local baths and getting tuppence worth of broken biscuits.

Derek, 50, Goole

Buying Christmas presents for all the family when I was twelve for ten shillings

Dave, 71, Hemel Hempstead

Late 1950s-early 60s: few supermarkets, most goods kept well out of reach on shelves behind counter. In Woolies you could wander around and actually touch things. Counters were arranged as 'islands' with an assistant standing in the middle. Of course, the assistant could not face in 4 directions at same time - so, we kids, could pick up various toys etc. until told "Don't touch!!" If you were really quick, you could nick a jelly bean or a black jack from the sweet counter.

Jim, 62, Sunderland

I do hope the company can be saved. I brought my first record in Woolworths in Ilford at Christmas 1979. I do hope the Company can be saved, most of my pocket money was spent in Woolies on music or pick & mix.

Alison, 39, London

I felt sorry for Woolies until I visited their store at Elephant and Castle yesterday. Staff that were barely concious, grimy displays, and dank lighting. I waited in line to buy a Playstation game for my son only to be told it was out of stock, when I enquired why the case was on the shelves the assitant stared at me blankly. Good bye and good riddance!

Leslie, 41, London

In the 99th year of wlw I lost my shirt as an investor!

Keith, 60, Nottingham

Working there as Saturday girl aged 15. Mahogany counters and biscuits out of tins, the canteen and my 12 bob at the end of the day.

Pat, 61, Sevenoaks

Being asked for ID buying a tube of Superglue when I was 30.

Richie, 33, Worcester

I mostly remember the wooden floors and the smell of whatever they cleaned them with.

Jeff, 73 and counting, N. London

The smell of Hot Salted Cashew Nuts as you entered the store, the wood strip floors and the sweeties laid out for easy pinching!!

Keith, 63, Newcastle

It was the only shop in the high street in the town where I grew up (in South East London) and my brother and I used to be allowed to walk up there together (without parents!) to buy sweets with our pocket money when we were about seven.

(I still buy sweets from there)

Bella, 18, Durham

I love Woolworths because it sells everything and it sells really cheap and lovely toys. I was really sad when my mum said it was not making enough money to stay open unless somebody bought it. I asked my mum if she could buy it but she said she couldn't afford it,even with all her cards and money.

Rosa, 7, London

My own childhood memory is that of a Woolworth's on Sherbrooke Street West in the NDG area of Montreal, Canada. That said, I'm sure the stores were similar on both sides of the Atlantic.

I can clearly recall....

1) the creaky wooden floor

2) a distinctive sweet-cum-musty odor - the pick 'n' mix, no doubt - and

3) a large fishtank of goldfish. If you wanted to purchase a fishie, the shop assistant would would scoop one out and put it in a plastic bag for you.

That would have been over fifity years ago. Ye gawdz!

John, 62, London

As a child visiting Woolies with Granny on Saturdays. They had wooden floors that were very noisy to walk on. They sold hot salted peanuts in a greaseproof bag. Wonderful. Then Granny and I shared a few sweets on the walk home. She would have bought sewing thread and maybe some buttons or a pack of shoe laces.

Heather, 55, Southampton

Working as a Saturday girl in Bromley, Kent 1965 - 66, which earned me 17s and 6p. I worked on the biscuit counter, and occasionally broke a packet of chocolate biscuits, so there was a bit of luxury for the poor old ladies who bought half a pound of broken biscuits.

I also worked on the paint department and was getting some stores from the bottom basement, when the lift got stuck between the upper and lower basements, and had to wait in the eerie gloom until someone came down and I could call for help.

Jennie Hawley, 58, London

Woolies was my Saturday job. I met my best friend there and one of our friends ended up staying after he finished school and now works in head office.

I used to love working Christmas, it was great atmosphere, really really manic, but we loved it - it was a real buzz.

Easter was fun too, particularly Easter Saturday. When I worked there it was with the old fashioned tills before bar code scanners, and I used to end up knowing the price of every single egg by the time we shut up shop on Easter Saturday night as we had to enter the price of each one individually.

And in contrast to JS, we were always told about the importance of customer service.

I'm really sad to see it go, it is definitely part of my history.

Rosanne, 35, London

Going into Woolies in Mare Street on a Saturday morning in the 1960's and spending my 2/6 pocket money on a lovely plastic toy

David, 50+, Hackney

I remember visiting Woolworths in Enniskillen before Christmas as a child and I thought it was just the best shop on earth! During my student years, I bought stationery, CDs and cheap homewares there. And of course there's the famous pick 'n' mix.

It is such a shame Woolies will be no more. But this has been a long-term decline. Visiting my local store in East London over the past year, it has just not been the same. The store is untidy and cluttered - a lot of the merchandise is in poor condition and someone could do with sweeping up every now and again. Even the CD cases are grubby.

It's been great Woolies and I loved it while you lasted. But times have changed. Toys R Us have a much better range for kids, the internet sells more books and CDs and cheaper and all of the above is available in my local Sainsbury's and ASDA!

Farewell, Woolies. I really feel sorry for all the workers - there's never a good time to become jobless, but this time of year it is awful.

Andy, 31, London

Did you know that suburban Woolworths stores kept their original 1930s gas mantles for emergency use well into the 1970s? They looked a bit odd next to the arrays of fluorescent tubes. I never really noticed them until the three-day week power cuts in late 1973.

When darkness forced all the other big shops to close, Woolworths were still open, emanating an eerie green tinged light into the blacked out street. The electric tills still worked because the staff were issued with crank handles to turn the mechanism. Result - you could still buy Xmas toys, records & sweets. Spooky.

Leon, 52, London

Pick'n'mix

Helen, 21, Sheffield

As a 16-year-old while still at school, I had a Saturday job at my local Woolworths, as did a few of my friends. Our favourite area to work at was the sweet counter. At that time, 1972, Woolies also sold tinned food items, biscuits and cakes. An elderly woman was the staff cook and us 'Saturday' girls had the same meal served to us every week- luncheon meat, mash and peas, the same tinned food they stocked on their shelves.

Jackie, 52, Portsmouth

When I was a boy Woolworths really didn't sell anything over sixpence. Just occasionally they had things which could be taken apart and each bit sold for 6d. What a difference now ! What a mess their shops are !

Stuart, 84, Beccles

I remember when I was about eight, my Grandmother bought me £1's worth of pic-and-mix. It was amazing. Then a few years later I bought myself a £1's worth of pic and mix and got 10 small sweets. I was gutted and made a pact never to shop at Woolie's again.

Paul, 18, Grantham

I used to go there on Saturdays and buy the latest No.1 single when I was a kid. I think the trouble is that they are the same today.

Do they not know that a few thousand cd's are sold for the song on the top spot these days? Also, the internet CD and DVD trade, plus itunes ecetera have passed them by, Woolies is a victim of a failure to embrace change.

Craig, 31, Mansfield

I think Woolworths has been a corner stone in a lot of my growing up. Such as buying stationery in preparation for going back to school after the holidays. Also running in with teenage friends to buy penny sweets with my pocket money. In later years, buying cooking/home items to take with me to university and then for my first home. It is a national institution.

Rachel, 28, London

Warm peanuts from a big transparent container, and on very special occasions, cashew nuts!

Andrew, 55, Sutton in Ashfield

Woolworths, Salisbury, Rhodesia. Frozen in time right up to the 1990s at least. Just like the UK Woolworths of the 1950s.

David, 60, Swansea

My dad has worked for Woolworths since I was born and over the years I have had fond memories of the company. Including the Christmas grottos that they used to set up in the stock room and the wide variety of amazing toys that we would have bought for my sister and I. I am deeply sad to have heard it has gone into administration with inevitable closure not only as we will now have no source of income, but because Woolworths as anyone who has worked for the company will know that its a way of life and becomes part of your family.

Harriet, 16, Birmingham

I was a 'cash girl' in the 1960s and had to walk around the store with 2 enormous shoulder bags to empty 20 tills at a time, leaving only a float. At Xmas, these bags were so heavy that I was given a strong young man from the warehouse to carry them for me.

Maggie, 60, Ripon

When I was 15 I had a Saturday job in Woolworths. I worked there for three years and filled in at holiday time, as I was doing A-levels. I earned 1 3s 6d for the Saturday. (Still have the pay slip!)

I had to wear a horrible turquoise overall which was too big for me. I worked on the haberdashery department and was forever going up and down the stairs to get customers 'wool' orders. I really enjoyed my time there.

But my most poignant memory is going to Woollies when i was about six, with my dad. He always bought me an ice-cream in a cone cornet. The Woolworths store - it is in Crawley - was made of floorboards in those days and I can remember the sound my shoes made on them as we walked past the various counters. Dad often bought me the hot roasted peanuts that they used to sell on the sweet counter and he bought mum a pound of biscuits.

Shirley, 54, Horsham

The Christmas adverts 80 - 82, available on tv.cream.org and youtube I think. My sister had a Saturday job in the Bedford shop. An integral part of life, at the time.

Lionel, 37, Sydney

We called it Woolworthits. Dark, polished wood, counters! Never uniformly level but which rose and fell drunkenly on the notoriously uneven, closely boarded, plain wooden floors which smelled of sawdust and disinfectant (with which they were swept each day). The store lighting always seemed to cast a dim, yellowish glow from the large glass bowls suspended on chains.

I'm talking about the big Lister Gate store in the Nottingham of the 1940s and 1950s where, as a boy, I often accompanied my mother on shopping expeditions. A trip to Woolworth's was always an adventure. 'Upstairs' at the busy self-service cafeteria you could always get a two course hot meal.

The ground floor offered so much to discover. Things to see and handle. They seemed to sell, well, not quite 'everything' but almost. Biscuits all one price. Chosen and weighed from tins and sold by the half pound. Sweets came 'off ration' and suddenly they had a counter, literally heaped with caramels and fruit drops, peppermints and winegums! Fill up a bowl and have it weighed by a pretty girl in a maroon uniform. A white paper bag full for 7p (one shilling and threepence in old money). I remember people trying on reading glasses at half a crown (12 and a half pence).

There were photo frames, folding fire guards, garden tools, press studs, knitting needles and wool. For some reason the electrical counter fascinated me. Flexes and cables were measured by the 'foot' or 'yard' against a shiny brass yardstick and cut to your requirements. Brass and bakelite switches and bulb holders for high or low voltage, clearly marked for AC, or for DC - at that time both supply systems existed in our city. You could by a wrist watch; and if your budget was tight, a ring for your engagement or wedding. It was the first place I ever saw 'an American style' soft ice cream machine - delicious! And everywhere bold tickets in yellow and red proclaimed the prices of everything.

Woollworthits! I'm sorry to see you go.........

Peter Mackness, 65, Brackley, Northants

Unfortunately, it's a sign of the times. Once the bastion of the high street is now a victim to what I believe is some of the very negative effects of globalization. There is no need for a Woolworths when you can go to Tesco and get everything you need there. It's just a general move to a more homogenised society. Even growing up in the 1990s I used to love going down the high street and spending some pocket money on sweets and toys in Woolworths.

David, 24, Oslo

I worked as a Saturday girl in Epsom Woolworths around 1971, when decimal currency was introduced, and had to explain to bewildered old ladies where their shillings and pence had gone. I worked on the toy counter, selling those weird 'kerknocker' things. We also sold some particularly cheap and nasty 'hot pants' that year. But three of my school friends worked there too, and we had great laughs - mainly about our barmier customers!

Janet Davis, 54, Sydney

The staff, who are polite helpful and most of them hard working

Ann, 40, Yeovil

Ex-employee. Best memories were my first Christmas there and, madly enough, not fully opening the loading bay door during a delivery one evening. The lorry clipped the bottom of the shutter and broke the mechanism. Had to wait in the store til 2am before the emergency repair team arrived, and spent the time watching movies with my line manager, eating Pick and Mix, and practising my free kicks in the stock room, and all on late night pay :D

Worst memory would be any time a customer would bring a DVD or CD to the till and I couldn't find the disc in the storage drawers. My rule of thumb was that for every four dvd/cd's brought to my till, I'd only be able to find three. I felt rotten about that each and every time.

Roger, 23, London

When I was a child and my parents would go shopping, if I was good I would be able to go to Woolies and get some pic and mix as a treat. Now I work for Woolworths and I made some really good friends within the company. It will be a shame to see it disappear. It isn't the classiest outlet on the high street, but if you can't find something, you can usually find it at Woolworths and its usually good value for money too.

Dominic Kirkbride, 18, Alnwick

Woolies was my first job that got me through college and university. Having graduated and left a year ago, I still miss it. I miss the regular customers and all of my great colleagues. I miss trying to reach the daily targets and the mad rushes at Xmas and Easter. It was all great fun while it lasted. The one thing I dont miss is trying to sell the "perfect partners" lol.

Nicola, 23, Neath

Arriving at uni, finding out that Woolworths was much more expensive than Argos, and not buying anything...

Think i've found the flaw in their plan...

James, 18, Birmingham

The polished mahogany counters of island design and the friendly girls there to serve you situated in the middle the ceilings in the stores were very ornate. It was amazing looking back what I could get for my meagre pocket money !

Cliff Mellor, 67, Neath

In the mid 1960s I remember as a kid going to Woolies on a Saturday morning to buy weeks treat of a 1/4 lb of warn peanuts. They also had a great cheese selection.

Steve, 52, Wisbech

Buying my family Christmas presents at 10 years old when I only had five bob to spend - and old style bottles of warm Pepsi from the booth by the door! So sad it's going.

John, 59, Minnesota USA

I bought my first ever single from Woolies. Sadly, it didn't show great musical taste. It was the Kids from Fame theme.

Angela, 36, London

Buying tiny pressies for my siblings as a child with my pocket money, pic n mix (especially raspberry ruffles) and getting cheap cookware as a student. Recently - hoovering up bargain DVDs and CDs. Woolies, you will be sadly missed.

Jill, 47, Kingston

Buying cheese with my grandmother at the 'deli' counter in Chichester. It all seemed very modern and hi-tech at the time, then home for cheese on toast.

Keith, 38, Fleet

Walking down Deptford High Street with my Grandmother to Woolworths to buy Sarsons Vinegar because it was a halfpenny cheaper at Woolworths.

Susan Dickens, 65, Toronto, Canada

My parents always went to Woolies to buy paint, raspberry plants, light bulbs, and as I was a child the sweet selection.

Even my two daughters aged 17 and 19 have both said "What about pick and mix?" That is there lasting memory.

Richard Kaminski, 49, Acton

When I was about 5 years old my late father took me in Woolworths and I spotted a Chad Valley Music box my dad bought it there and then for my Birthday.

It was one of my favourite toys.

Stephen Holmes, 48, Withington

As a recalcitrant schoolboy, I did my share of pilfering from their tempting displays in my local store as did almost every other child of my aquaintance. However I returned to the scene of my crimes as Manager of that same branch of Woolies in 1972 after joining the Company as a management trainee in 1962. To my horror many of the staff who were working in the branch were long serving staff members but nodbody seem to recognise the schoolboy form the man, or if they did they were too polite to mention it.

In all I had a great time in my 38 years in the business and ironically I now live in Australia where the No1 retailer is, Woolworths, same name but no connection.

Colin Higgins, 65, Leigh on Sea

I was quite young and it was a few times after I had ever been down to the town alone.

For £10, I bought two really bad remote controlled toy cars!

Aaah yes!

Piers, 15, Frome

Woolworth's has gone down in Lancashire folklore by way of mention in the classic story of "The Lion and Albert".

'e 'ad a stick, wi an 'orses 'ead 'andle......the finest what Woolworths could sell.

Mason Laird, 39, London

A rare place where you could get toys and games from. Sorely missed from Cambridge where if you want expensive clothes a mobile phone or an over priced cup of coffee you are well catered for, if you want toys and games you are sorely lacking in choice.

Andy Wigg, 30, Cambridge

Pick n mix. Wooden floors. Buying 7inch and 12 inch recorods. Just of the few things about Woolies I loved as a kid. Now it's the shop my son loves for the toys. As he can normally con something out of me.

It will be sadly missed

not all like shopping online.

Tracey, 37, Ashton-under-Lyme

When I was a student in London in 1963, Woolies was my shop for everything. From pencils to writing paper to "45s".The wooden floors, the sweets, etc,etc,

When one is 66, there are few precious memories left.

Woolies is one of them. So very sad.

Qhim, 66, Singapore

Buying sweets before going to the cinema and getting stationery for school, cd's dvd's, toys, birthday cards, everything!

Woolies rocks! Save it!

Jenny, 22, Canterbury

Pick 'n' mix and 7 inch singles! Bought my first record in there.

Lisa, 30, N. Ireland

Going as a child with my Nana up to Woolies in Oldham to get pick and mix on a Saturday morning and then getting some fake tattoo's.

We used to have a cuppa in the cafe and then go home so my Nana could enjoy the wrestling on the television. We were supposed to be quiet on the couch scoffing all sorts of vile sweets and licking our arms to make the tattoo's stick - by the time our parents arrived we would be hyper practising wrestling moves due to the Woolies sweets with blurred tattoo's .....

I love Woolies for that..........

Vicki, 47, Oldham

Being a teenager and going there on a Saturday with pals to use the photo booth.

Also, when I bought my first place in 1985 I had a big mortgage as I was living on the edge of E London; Woolies was a great shop for affordable kitchen utensils and other bits and pieces. It made your money stretch a bit. My husband always says the best stocking filler I ever gave him was a bike puncture kit from Woolies in Hornchurch!

Linda, 47, Fife

I remember buying all my Airfix kits there back in the sixties. They had a good selection in those days.

Paul, 52, Zurich, formerly Bournemouth

I am very sad that Woolworths is set to vanish from the High Street.

All my life I have visited the store in Maidenhead though my highest spend there would always be around Christmas. I still occasionally shop there at other times of year, finding it regularly sells the item I am looking for and did not find elsewhere, so for many items they seemed to provide a solution.

A great shame.

James, 44, Maidenhead

It is (or sadly was) a place that sold a bit of everything at good prices. My best kitchen scissors ever came from there; lovely pottery dishes; Ladybird clothing for kids; flowerpots, etc etc etc....................................

What a great shame!

Susan, 61, London

I last entered a Woolworths more than 30 years ago. It was tacky, depressing, embarrassing. I looked into one about 10 years ago in London. How they lasted this long defies belief. Sorry, but it's the truth.

Pat, 59, London

I was mesmorised by the Christmas decorations as a child and always used to ask my mum if we could go into our local branch as I was allowed to go & look at the toys while my mum looked around the store.

Marie Muscat-King, 48, Ramsgate

Memories of Woolies somewhere in Hackney area, banquet table-size counters of Christmas baubles all under pocket money prices. Boxes and boxes with all sorts of lanterns hanging from the ceiling. I did not understand what kind of 'toys' the Christmas novelties were but I absorbed the atmosphere and excitement. The crowds were squashy and it was so busy.

Yvonne, 51, Ely, Cambs

Aged about 7 or 8 my friend and I had gone to Dartmouth to see a film. We had been given money for the pictures and fish & chips afterwards. I can't remember why, but we didn't see the film. Maybe it was full. So we spent a jolly afternoon spending our cinema money in Woolies. We bought presents for our families and of course, some pick n mix. My mum still has the green glass vase I bought her that day.

Diane, 50, Dartmouth

My best memory of Woolies was riding up the escalator, and a sinclair c5 on a podium slowly appearing.

It was the greatest thing I had ever seen, and dreams of riding away on great adventures soon filled my world.

Luckily my parents had more sense than me, and the c5 stayed in Woolworths on that podium

Iain, 37, High Wycombe

As a child I thought they were useless but as a parent, in the 1990s I discovered they were great for children's toys and became a defacto toyshop - my children used to think of the place as some sort of Aladdin's Cave. My children have now grown up but i shall always cherish that memory (not to mention the bill!).

Jon Smith, 51, Farnborough

Pick and Mix

Kate, 50, Devizes, Wilts

Woolworths lost the plot when, like a lot of classic stores, they hid themselves away inside soulless non descript shopping precincts.

The first British Woolworths in Church Street, Liverpool, was a proper shop, individual and interesting. We need to take a step back and demolish the horrible 1960s precincts. Bring back the high street, with proper shop fronts and unique signage.

http://museum.woolworths.co.uk/1910s-firststore.htm

Paul, 47, Liverpool

I grew up in America, and I remember fondly our weekly family trips to Woolworths.. We took the bus downtown and we literally spent hours there. Me and my sister would look at the fish and hamsters, while mom would browse the clothes or fabrics and dad would be at the hardware section. And afterwards we would all have lunch at the coffee shop. Even after all these years I remember those times vividly. I was sad to see it close down in America and sad to see it go here as well. It just seems a part of my past is going as well. But we still have the memories..

Sonya, London

It smells a bit like instant mashed potato

Helen, 19, Chester

Now living in Germany but I remember spending my pocket money in Woolies as we called it. I would have my one shilling pocket money from my grandparents and uncles and would buy all sorts of things from small toys to Christmas presents for my family. It was like aladdin's cave. It will be a sad day if Woolworths goes under.

Ann, 56, Greenock

I always remember saving my birthday money to buy a new tape from Woolies. I was particularly proud the year I bought Jason Donovan's album!

Laura, 28, York

Wooden floorboards. Pick 'n Mix. Broken biscuits. My mother, and her sister, both worked there (at different times). I recall losing my purse there when I was little. I also remember the cafe in the Edinburgh Princes Street branch. I have a lot of good childhood memories of Woolworth's, especially of their toy department at Christmas. I also remember going there to buy pencils, and crayons, and colouring books. I often have dreams about Woolworths.

Margaret, 53, Kirkcaldy

I will leave several if that's ok? It was my first job - good old Woolworths. I'll always remember being on the lottery till under 16, illegally! And the drunks I used to serve smoking in store (how did they get away with it?)

When I was a child I always used to go to the cafe with my mum, apparently a "celebrity" used to use the cafe every lunch, and chain smoke for a good couple of hours! good old woolies hurting my childhood lungs!

I also remember the "DJ" they used to have - he looked identical to Timmy Mallett! he gave me a Mario badge one Christmas...ahh Woolies, i will miss you in ways

Nathan, 24, High Wycombe

It's such a pity to see a brand like Woolworths finally disappear but in its current form its a wonder it has lasted so long...tired poorly lit overheated stores, under-trained staff and random stock more like a church jumble sale than a 21st century retailer, they seem to have been in crisis for the last 20 years. Couldn't they have turned it into another Wilkinsons or Robert Dyas?

George, 40, London

A brilliant company originally, degraded year by year by incompetent fools, and invested in by weak outsiders, who ran it into the ground consistently choosing the wrong products and making the shopping experience a confused, boring, nightmare. Only true idiots could have let a company like this fail, as we head into a recession economy designed perfectly for Woolworths. An example of the kind of fools this country keeps putting in - with some notable exceptions like Rose - to run our companies.

Laura Roberts, 30s, London

I can remember going into Southampton with my parents as a child on a double-decker bus and my Mum buying broken biscuits at Woolworths, which were sold cheaper than the whole ones (we couldn't afford whole biscuits). The biscuits were presented in big biscuit tins, which were tilted up on the counter, and were sold in brown paper bags. Munching those biscuits was a really special treat for my brother and I. Now that IS going back in time!!

Maggie, 59, Romsey, Hampshire

Woolworths was always THE place to get Xmas presents as a child. The shop was magical at Christmas. You could get something for everyone. Even every inch of the ceilings used to dangle with all sorts of wonderful items and decorations. Sparking, spangly gifts for all the family and still pocket money left for cards and scarlet crinkly wrapping paper and glued paper strips to make coloured paper chains of rings for Xmas decorations plus perhaps some boiled sweets or sugar mice for ourselves. It was so crowded we had to wait ages in a queue to pay our pennies - a magic den. Most adults got chosen packs of six little tot glasses with some sort of transfer picture on them...lovingly wrapped and given with pride - the kind we see everywhere in charity shops now. We loved old Woolies - what a shame.

Lin, 57, Welwyn Garden City

Children when I grew up had few luxuries...unless our mothers went to Woolworths.

David, 60, Belfast

Coffee cream pick and mix when I was 7

Kelly, 43, Edinburgh

I spent a lot of my pocket money in Woolworths, and bought my first ever single (Puppy Love by Donny Osmond) there.

I love our local branch for the fantastic bargains you can find (if you look carefully) on toys, CDs and DVDs. Very much hope it's saved.

Susan, 45, Bishop's Stortford

When I was a child I used to live in London and my late mother and father always took me into a Woolworths Store, I always remember my father saying to me, you used to be able to buy toy lead soldiers in Woolworths years ago.

In their day they were a great store and I still believe there is a future for Woolworths even in today's climate. I think their new boss can turn things around and make them great again.

Opening small cafes in the stores and maybe leasing space to other companies may help pull in some money for them. Come on Woolworths you can do it - Mr F W Woolworth did so it's not too late.

Best of luck I still try and buy anything I need from Woolworths before I look elsewhere.

Lee, 38, Ryde

Will it be the death of pick and mix?

What a great idea a treat at any age to pick and mix the sweets you want. This is guaranteed to bring the child out in any of us.

They have a contributed an idea to our culture. If only all of life was pick and mix. Just take the bits you want and leave the rest. It would be heaven.

Peter, 58, Colchester

Buying my airfix models at Woolies, which in those days were piled high with Spitfies and Wellington bombers.

All gone now, but i still believe those old fashioned toys beat computer games for young peoples skill improvement very time........but clearly the younger generation don't agree with me!

Jason, 43, Bristol

The Woolies in Wanstead High Street where I grew up had tills where the change rattled down a slide into a little coin catcher which i used to think was brilliant. I loved going to Woolies just to see the coin shute.

Maggie, 38, Bristol

In my childhood, free samples from the pick-n-mix when the shop assistants weren't looking!

Andy, 37, Rotherham

Lots of sweets - pick and mix in particular. And going there at Christmas/Easter to buy lots of chocolate! I'm quite a fan. I've gone there for presents in recent years, as they do great children's toys. What a shame it all is.

Jennie, 37, London

Ladybird clothes, pick n mix, an advert that had 'that's the wonder of Woolworths' in it

Jo, 43, London

I bought my first bra from Woolies - it was white with a pink rosebud pattern and was, I think, nylon. And my first pair of jeans - very pale blue, ankle length.

I loved browsing in our local Woolies (wooden floors and shop girls behind the counters) and often bought things with my pocket money (5 shillings a week) including stationery from school, make up, stockings and of course, sweets! My memory of that shop (in Westow Street SE19) is for some reason extraordinarily vivid.

Susan, 57, London

Working the 9-1 shift on a Saturday morning as a sixth former often still hazy from the friday night before, and serving the same lovely old ladies with sweets for their grandchildren at 9.01am every week...

Emily, 28, Birmingham

It was the only place where you could get a 'pick n mix' when i was a little boy.

Andy C, 28, Bacup

When I was a child we lived overseas and whenever we came back to the UK to visit relatives my sister and I looked forward most of all to going to Woolworths for their pic 'n' mix. It seemed such a big selection and was just magic as a child to be able to choose whatever you wanted.

Faye, 29, London

At the tender age of 14 being removed by the security guards who erroneously believed I was attempting to shoplift, whereas in fact, I was trying to catch a glimpse of the lovely Andrea who worked on the checkout.

Jason, 37, Truro

The clip clop of feet when they used to have parquet floors.

Robert

Buying my first ever CD single, the 1996 Man Utd FA Cup song.

Joe, 24, Catford

The only time I ever went to Woolworths as a child was every August to get new stationary for school in September. Other than that, I've got no memories at all. It was a pretty terrible store all round. I'm surprised it is still around at all.

SSP, Bristol

Buying a bra for 1/6d when aged about 12 ... I felt SO grown up ... even though I had nothing but sock to fill it up!

Steph, 62, Warwick

I grew up in Lincoln and still have fond memories of going to Woolworth on a Saturday and reaching up to give a penny to the shop assistant standing behind a counter for a bag full of broken biscuits. They used to sell biscuits loose (Neapolitans were by far the best) and collected broken ones from the bottom of the tin for sale on Saturday mornings. On the same counter they had a machine that roasted fresh peanuts. You could buy them hot in a grease-proof paper bag and add your own salt to taste. (Mind you that was when you got Smiths Crisps with salt in a little twist of blue paper.)

Steve, 52, Switzerland

I have many childhood memories of shopping at Woolies, first buying Pic 'n' Mix then making my first teenage musical purchases.

I also remember a funny Jasper Carrott sketch about the apathy of Woolies employees. A customer says: "I've just put anthrax in the Pic 'n' Mix". Apathetic response from Woolies employee : "Sorry, it's not my counter".

Hamish, 30, Dundee

Pick'n'mix!!

Lucy, 21, Glasgow

Living with the (short-lived) knowledge that my parents had picked me up in the woolworth's reject box - as told to me by my sister.

Catrina, 30, Perth

Saturdays - mooching round the store and eyeing up the girls behind the counters, Embassy Records, The weekly sweet ration, (The disappearance of Embassy records is the only thing that has changed)

Trevor, 63, Golders Green

Going there after Christmas to spend the vouchers my Granddad had given me and taking what seemed like ages picking out a cool toy. Fun times!

Richard, 21, Stevenage

Buying broken biscuits from the pic 'n' mix biscuit counter. All the whole biscuits were loose in sections behind a glass counter. Broken ones were removed and put in their own compartment and then sold off by weight at bargain prices, I'd get a bag, eat the best ones on the way home and then make praline bar with the rest.

Ian, 50, Brighton

My first Saturday job was at Woolworths, on the first day I got two pieces of advice:

1. "We don't worry about the customers in this store"

2. "Never ever go out of your way to help a customer"

I called into a store on Sunday and those mantras were still going strong.

JS, 34, Nottingham

Clydebank Woolies in the 70s ... rickety old wooden floor... but amazing sweetie counter with loose liquorice ... catherine wheels were the best. A real treat to go in there ... can remember the exact layout of the shop even though it closed when I was 4 or 5. I loved that shop. A real treasure trove.

Liz, 37, Clydebank

I used to work at Woolies, while i was at school and loved it. All the kids from the neighbourhood worked there and we had a blast when the shop closed.

it wasnt all easy though, Christmas in woolies was hell, invariably i'd end up giving customers all their change in 20s and 10s because someone hadnt ordered enough change in from the bank and you'd get shouted at by irate customers. still, fond memories.

Rebecca, 26, Barnet

The pic n mix sweets!

Lucy, 25, Bristol

Going on a Saturday with my mother and brother as a young child and having a good look around for a 'bargain' as you could always get one in Woolies.

Helen, 33, Birmingham

Going to woolworths with my grandparents to get sweeties during trips to my aunts. Ahhh. The pic 'n' mix!!

As a student, they provided really cheap basics which was helpful- not exactly poignant though.

Diana, 20, Amersham

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