Wolverhampton Woolworths still vacant after three years

The former Woolworths store in Wolverhampton is one of more than 100 still lying vacant three years after the collapse of the high street retailer.

The branch in Dudley Street has been empty since the national chain went under in January 2009 – while 14 other stores in the region have been re-let to new businesses.

Nicholas Pitt, centre director at the Mander Centre in Wolverhampton, said he was unaware of any current interest in the former Woolworths store because it was not owned by the centre. The Mander Centre was built in the 1960s and the store became one of the biggest Woolworths branches in the West Midlands.

It closed along with branches through the region – including Walsall, Smethwick, Dudley, Stourbridge, Cannock, Lichfield, Rugeley, Halesowen, Bloxwich, Bilston, Stafford, Wednesbury, Brierley Hill and Wednesfield. The former Woolworths store in Wednesfield is now Bargain Foods while the former retailer's branch in Walsall is now a Poundland and the Blackheath shop is Heron Foods.

Figures released today by The Local Data Company reveal that 13 per cent of the 807 former Woolies stores are empty, compared with 30 per cent a year ago.

Discounters have taken on 29 per cent, with supermarkets 17 per cent but there has also been a rise in the number which have been demolished, from 1.3 per cent in January 2011 to 8.4 per cent this month.

Iceland supermarkets and discounter Poundland have been the keenest to move into the stores and have both taken over seven per cent of the premises. They are followed by discount shop 99p Stores, who have over 48 or six per cent.

Administrators sounded the death knell for Woolworths in December 2008, leading to several tranches of closures that left 27,000 employees people out of work.

Former Woolworths stores in the region and what they are now:

• Walsall – Poundland

• Smethwick – Tesco Express

• Dudley – Plaza Mall

• Stourbridge – Home Bargains

• Wolverhampton – empty

• Cannock – Poundland

• Lichfield – B&M Bargains

• Rugeley – Peacocks

• Halesowen – Bargain Foods

• Brierley Hill – YMCA Clothing and Furniture

• Bloxwich – BrightHouse

• Stafford – Sports Direct

• Wednesbury – BrightHouse

• Wednesfield – Discount Foods

By Richard Woodhall