187 Manford Way, Chigwell, Hainault, Essex IG7 4DN Woolworths opened in Chigwell in 1954. It was known as the “Hainault” store when it opened, but by the 1970s it was known as “Chigwell” store. Ron Watson was manager from 1974-78. The store traded here for 54 years, closing in December 2008. Today you’ll find a…
Category: Essex
Debden Estate Woolworths – Store 798
35-37 The Broadway, Debden Estate, Loughton, Essex IG10 3SX Woolworths opened in Debden Estate in 1953. It was part of a long parade of shops on The Broadway. There were flats above the store that were offered to staff at low rent. Originally a small store, it did so well that it was extended and…
Uckfield Woolworths – Store 765
33 High Street, Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 1AH A year after WWII began, a few new Woolworths stores continued opening in 1940. One of these was Uckfield. The style of this store was similar to Store 750 Colindale – a modern rendition of Classical architecture with porthole windows (Source: Woolworth’s 100 Years on the High…
Upminster Woolworths – Store 763
47 Corbets Tey Road, Upminster, Essex RM14 2AL Woolworths opened in Upminster in 1940. The store was built as part of a parade of shops. Source: Francis Frith They traded from this location until the end, closing in December 2008. Source: John Winfield / Shops, Corbets Tey Road, Upminster, Essex / CC BY-SA 2.0 Today…
Romford (Collier Row) Woolworths – Store 761
36-38 Collier Row Road, Romford, Essex RM5 3PD Woolworths opened in Collier Row, Romford, in 1940. There was another nearby Woolworths store on Romford High Street (Store 368). Collier Row is the northern part of Romford, and Woolworth traded here until December 2008. Today there is a Costcutter here.
Dagenham Woolworths – Store 746
235 – 241 Heathway, Dagenham, Essex RM9 5NJ Woolworths opened in Dagenham in 1939. It was part of a parade of shops – it does look purpose-built, I am guessing the whole parade was built in 1939. You can see the shops on both sides of Woolworths in this photo are still being fitted. Source:…
Elm Park Woolworths – Store 721
19-20 Elm Parade, Elm Park Avenue, Hornchurch, Essex RM12 4SR Woolworths opened in Elm Park, East London, in 1937. It was part of a parade of shops, very close to Elm Park London Underground station. Source: Alamy.com Although I can’t find many photos of the store, we do have lots of memories from former colleagues:…
Barkingside Woolworths – Store 702
77-79 High Street, Barkingside, Essex IG6 2AF Woolworths opened in Barkingside, East London, in 1937. It was as part of a parade of shops, a 10-minute walk from Barkingside tube station on the Central Line. Woolworths traded from this location for 72 years, closing in January 2009. Source: FB – Barkingside Woolworths Staff Source: FB…
Frinton-on-Sea Woolworths – Store 658
10 Connaught Avenue, Frinton-on-Sea, Essex CO13 9PW Woolworths opened in the Essex seaside town of Frinton-on-Sea in 1936. It was part of a parade of shops on Connaught Avenue. They traded from here for about 40 – 50 years, closing down in the 1970s/80s. Although I can’t find a photo of the store as a…
Loughton Woolworths – Store 648
228 High Road, Loughton, Essex IG10 1EY Woolworths opened in Loughton in 1936 on the High Road. It was a purpose-built store, located a 10 minute walk from Loughton Underground Station. I think the architecture of the building was designed to match the one next door, in like a Georgian style. Source: Epping Forest Now…
Halstead Woolworths – Store 601
50 High Street, Halstead, Essex CO9 2JB Woolworths opened in Halstead in 1935. It was a small single-storey store, and it does look purpose-built. Source: Facebook Source: Footsteps Photographs The store traded from this building for 73 years. Former Manager Claire White still works in the same building today! She tells us, “I went for…
Witham Woolworths – Store 592
35 Newland Street, Witham, Essex CM8 2AL Woolworths opened in Witham in 1934. You can see it on the right of this photo. I’m not sure if it was purpose-built, as we can see Georgian sash windows and a flat roof here. Source: Facebook The store traded here for 74 years, closing on 27th December…
Hornchurch Woolworths – Store 550
116 – 118 High Street, Hornchurch, Essex RM12 4UT Woolworths opened in Hornchurch in 1934, original a small store at 116 High Street. It is hidden from view in the below photo, just next to Sibley Butchers which is on the left side. At some point, Woolworths took over the butcher’s site and extended into…
Saffron Walden Woolworths – Store 548
26-28 High Street, Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 1AX Woolworths opened in Saffron Walden on the 29th June 1934, on the site of J. Wright’s garage. According to “Woolworth’s 100 Years on the High Street” by K. Morrison, it was purpose-built in a Georgian style. Which leads me to believe that Store 547 Forest Hill from…
Seven Kings Woolworths – Store 546
695 High Road, Seven Kings, Essex IG3 8RH Woolworths opened in Seven Kings in 1934. I can’t find any photos of the original store, but from Google Maps we can see it was where Betfred and Paddypower are today. If you look up the upper floor does have the shape of a Woolworths building and…
Dovercourt Woolworths – Store 535
246 – 250 High Street, Dovercourt, Essex CO12 3PA Woolworths opened in the small Essex seaside town of Dovercourt in 1934. It was a small purpose-built store with an art deco style facade. Source: Flickr Source: harwichanddovercourt.com Known as the ‘3d & 6d store’, the frontage doubled in size in 1937. Source: Flickr Source: Facebook This photo…
Leigh-on-Sea Woolworths – Store 491
21-23 The Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS9 1PB Woolworths opened in Leigh-on-Sea in 1933. Source: PaddyB – Flickr They traded from this store for 75 years, closing in January 2009 Source: Goldman, B. Today it is a Tesco Express.
Maldon Woolworths – Store 473
70a High Street, Maldon, Essex Woolworths opened in Maldon in 1932. From this photo it appears the whole parade of shops was built at the same time, with Woolworths taking the centrepiece with the extra detailing. Source: Flashbak “Stepping inside the Maldon Woolworth store, here are the displays ready for the opening. The counters were…
Brentwood Woolworths – Store 451
50 – 54 High Street, Brentwood, Essex Woolworths opened in Brentwood in 1931 in a purpose-built store at 50 – 52 High Street. It had the classic architecture with 5 bays and a central pediment. The store was extended into number 54, suggesting that it was a popular one that needed more space. In the…
Braintree Woolworths – Store 392
23 Bank Street, Braintree, Essex CM7 7UH Woolworths opened in Braintree in 1930 on Bank Street. It was a small purpose-built store with the standard Woolworths architecture – see below photo. The store had a makeover in the 1960s, including a new fascia and one central entrance. The store was extended into the building to…
Woolies Buildings - Then and Now 