23-24 Regent Street, Swindon, Wiltshire
Woolworths opened in Swindon the 12th September 1914 on Regent Street where it traded in a small buildling which was then extended to the left (No, 23) in 1936.
Source: 100thbirthday.co.uk
Here it is in the 1950s:
Source: 100thbirthday.co.uk
And the 1960s:
Source: 100thbirthday.co.uk
There was a refurb in 1973, which is when I presume they lost their beautiful Art Deco style facade. There was another refurb in 1980 and one more in 1995. It seems Swindon was the true trial store for the chain.
Source: Woolworths Museum
Extract from the Woolworths Museum: “As a prototype, the City store at Regent Street, Swindon, which had been one of Frank Woolworth’s first and favourite locations, was relaid, with new products and a new look. Unlike the work at Hounslow in 1994, the transformation was achieved cheaply and the result was spectacular. New ranges included a large cookshop, displayed on wooden tables as well as regular counters. It offered a more fashionable range, including kitchen appliances and a wider selection of china and glassware. Kids ranges were moved towards the front of the dual entrance store, in a carpeted area to the left hand side of the main gangway. The restaurant was moved down to the ground floor and given a new look. Swindon had the look and feel of a modern department store. The idea was repeated in Doncaster, Yorkshire and was refined further in the branch in the Arndale Centre at Luton, Bedfordshire.”
Here is the store in 2006. This is the image many head office folk will remember as we were sent on training courses in Swindon. It truly was enormous inside.
Source: Armin Grewe
The store closed down in January 2009, and a year later it reopened as a temporary BHS, while their site was demolished as part of the £25m ‘The Parade‘ redevelopment project that houses stores including BHS, Topshop and River Island. This is now complete.
Source: ballysundriven
Today the unit has been spilt and is occupied by the oh-so-glam Poundworld, DiscountUK and Peacocks. Priceless next door seems to have disappeared too.
Source: Property Link
Woolies Buildings - Then and Now 
I loved Woolworths x miss this store very much was my first job after leaving school. I was made in charge of the pic n mix. There was always a great sense of excitement especially around Christmas time! Mr Richard Pryor was our manager and Nesta is as name that sticks in my mind. Great memories !
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I loved going into the Woolworths store in Swindon along with my Mum and my brother, Steve. The sound of my Mum’s heels on the wooden floor, the ladies standing behind the counters, and the sweets and ice-creams, all remain vividly in my memory from those days in the mid-1950’s. A while later, when I was a teenager, I used to enjoy going to the record counter there. Thirty years on, and I was still able to go into the store with my wife and daughter for more memories of the times that we bought toys and clothing for Victoria.
Sadly, we only have those lovely memories left. What a pity that we can’t pop up town and go into Woolworths these days.
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