HUNDREDS of jobs in the two counties could be lost after Christmas following the collapse of High Street stalwart Woolworths.

With branches in Worcester, Malvern, Kidderminster and Hereford the news could mean the end to nearly 100 years of trading and 25,000 jobs in the UK at risk.

However, no-one was available to comment from the company or give figures on how many people in the two counties were employed by Woolworths despite several calls by your Worcester News.

Deloitte, the administrators of ailing retailer Woolworths yesterday said it would be looking for a “suitable buyer for all parts of the business”.

Deloitte’s reorganisation services partner Dan Butters said: “We are working hard to ensure that any sale of the business, in whole or part, will preserve jobs.”

Woolworths has suffered from a number of cash flow problems and has debts of £385 million.

The company has 813 stores in total and they will remain open until after Christmas until a decision has been made on its future.

The Worcester branch hit the headlines in October 1979 when a huge fire ripped through the store. Hundreds of shoppers had to be evacuated.

Earlier this year it swapped places with Marks and Spencer on the High Street to enable M&S to increase its trading space.

An employee of Woolworths in Worcester, who did not wish to be named, said they had all been worrying about their jobs for weeks.

She said: “This is going to be a very bleak Christmas for us all.

“We just don’t know what to do as our jobs are all in the balance.”

MFI the kitchen and furniture retailer, which has a store on Elgar Retail Park in Worcester, also called in administrators this week. The company has 100 stores and more than 1,000 people face job losses. No-one was available for comment at the Worcester store.

The owner of Currys and PC World, which are both represented in the city, has meanwhile posted losses of almost £30 million, while Kingfisher – the firm behind DIY giant B&Q – posted a near nine per cent fall in comparative sales.

Other High Street retailers who have gone into administration since January include The Works, Stead and Simpson, Rosebys, Dolcis, Ethel Austin, ScS Upholstery, Elvi, Cardfair and Card Warehouse.

Christopher Harvey, of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce said it was a great concern when a major business goes into administration.

“From our part we hope that the administrators are able to find someone to take on all or some of the business. The store holds a prime spot in the high street so hopefully it will be attractive to other buyers,” he said.

History of Woolworths

Woolworths was the brainchild of New York man Frank Woolworth who started his retail career in 1873 as a sales assistant.
At the time goods did not have fixed prices and he saw an opportunity to fill a store with five cent merchandise, and in 1879 opened his first shop in America.
The first British Woolworths opened in Liverpool in 1909.
Worcester’s store opened on March 11, 1916.
The company extended its premises in 1935 and again in 1960.
In October 1979 a huge fire ripped through the high street store and firemen took more than 12 hours to put out the blaze. More than 300 shoppers and 100 members of staff had to be evacuated. The fire, later proved to be arson, caused millions of pounds worth of damage. No-one was injured in the blaze.
In 2008 it swapped places with Marks and Spencer.