Wymondham Woolworths – Store 792

26-28 Town Green, Wymondham, NR18 0PW

Woolworths opened in Wymondham in 1953. Originally in a small unit on Town Green.

Wymondham Woolworths 1953

Source: Historic England

Extract from Diss Mercury by Philip Yaxley:

“Back in the early months of 1953, there was a buzz about Wymondham.

Practically, the only topic of conversation, apart from perhaps the Coronation festivities later in the year, was the eagerly awaited opening of a branchg of F.W Woolworth and Co Ltd in the town.

So on Friday, March 13 in that Queen’s Coronation Year, shoppers flocked into Wymondham for the opening of the new store ‘with its display windows attractively laid out’. It was located in the Market Street premises which had formerly been occupied by Peacock’s, and today by One Stop and the Post Office.”

Wymondham Former Woolworths

Source: Soult, G

6 Market Place, Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 0BB

“The … premises eventually proved too small for the trading of a major retailer and in November 1981, Woolworth’s moved to the Market Place and occupied a bigger store, which had been built on the site of the old King’s Head pub. The celebrated coaching inn had closed on October 31, 1962 and was later controversially demolished, but the site remained a boarded up eyesore for many years, until the Woolies store was erected.

The ‘new superstore’, as it was generously described at the time, immediately proved a big hit with shoppers and a few days after its opening, Nicholas Ray, the manager, said: ‘The response has been amazing. We have been absolutely packed from the time we opened.’

Extra floor space enabled a much more extensive range of goods to be offered.

So, Wymondham shoppers continues to enjoy the ‘Wonder of Woolies’ until the recent closure after almost 56 years of trading in the town.” [Yaxley, P.]

Wymondham Woolworths 2008

Source: Evans, K.

Wymondham Woolworths closed in January 2009 and today there’s a Coop here.

Wymondham Former Woolworths

Source: Soult, G.

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