34-40 Kirkgate, Otley, West Yorkshire LS21 3HL
Woolworths opened in Otley in 1939. It was a purpose-built store with a stone Art Deco facade.
Source: Historic England
Source: Facebook
They traded from here for nearly 70 years. Here are some stories from former store colleagues:
Tracy Clifford shares her memories, “Otley was my first store manager appointment – LOVED it – great team – Suzanne, Jackie, Joyce and Muriel – all helped me run a fab shop. Emmerdale was sometimes filmed out back. Tricia Penrose (Heartbeat) was a local I even tried to get her single stocked!!! I was there at the millennium myself and a Saturday girl Gemma went in to do the checks on New Year’s Day 2000 in case everything crashed. Lots of happy memories 
“
Julia Marie Kellacher adds, “I was Manager there after Chris, took the store through the 5/5 Refit and had Woolly and Worth at the store opening. We had a fab team! But during the summer it was so hot!!!!! Emma Beard took over from me when I was expecting my 2nd child. I moved to her AM position at the Bradford store. I can remember chasing after a shop lifter when I was 6 months pregnant with my first. He dumped the stuff so I got it back.”
Emma Beard tells us, “Otley was mine for the last 9 months with a great team, great managers, Belinda Mctear. Worked Right to the end. Great little village”
Source: Wharfdale Observer
Otley Woolworths closed in December 2008, and Yorkshire Trading Company moved into the old unit.
Source: buyinotley.co.uk
Woolies Buildings - Then and Now 
I was the Project Manager for the 5/5 refit of Otley store and recall the problem facing as round about 1 a.m. in the morning after the store closure. The floor had to be uplifted because of of ridges in it caused by rotten floor joists. When this got underway and roundabout two thirds of the way down the store, we realised there was a gap underneath everything where the old basements have been filled in, with the joists and a thin layer of concrete in between floating in mid air. The decision was made to leave well alone and carry on rather than up lift everything when we would have had to to pour concrete into the basements just stabilise everything. This would have created a full months delay at least.
Evidence of the problem could be seen (and probably still can) in front of the new record bar where there was a small dip in the floor about 10 ft in diameter I’m sure store members will recall this.
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I was the Project Manager for the 5/5 refit of Otley store and recall the problem facing as round about one in the morning after the store closure. The floor had to be uplifted because of of ridges in it caused by rotten floor joists. When this got underway and roundabout two thirds of the way down the store, we realised there was a gap underneath everything where the old basements have been filled in, with the joists and a thin layer of concrete in between floating in mid air. With a wagon full of asphalt and a team of layers stood waiting, the decision was made to leave well alone and carry on rather than uplift everything when we would have had to to pour tons of concrete into the basements to stabilise everything. This would have created a full months delay at least.
Evidence of the problem could be seen (and probably still can) in front of the new record bar where there was a small dip in the floor about 10 ft in diameter, I’m sure store members will recall this.
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