What happened to Somerset's former Woolworths stores

The retailer's famous red storefronts could be found in towns and cities across the county, selling everything from toys and pick-and-mix sweets to household essentials.

But the chain's collapse in 2008 and 2009 brought an end to an era, leaving prominent shop units empty across Somerset.

Many of those former Woolworths stores have since been transformed into new businesses, while a few still retain reminders of their former life.

Here's what happened to Woolworths stores across Somerset and North Somerset.

Bath

Bath's first Woolworths opened on Stall Street in 1925 and traded there until moving to larger premises nearby in 1963.

The original building later became home to HMV.

The replacement Stall Street store remained open until April 1989, when Marks and Spencer expanded into the former Woolworths unit.

Marks and Spencer has since relocated to SouthGate.

A second Bath branch opened on Moorland Road in Oldfield Park in 1956.

It remained in business until January 2009 and is now occupied by Sainsbury's Local.

Bridgwater

Proper Job now occupies Bridgwater’s former Woolworths store (Image: Jaggery / Geograph)

Woolworths first opened in Bridgwater in 1922 before relocating to a purpose-built store on Eastover in 1956.

The branch closed on December 30, 2008, and the building is now home to Proper Job.

Burnham-on-Sea

The former Burnham-on-Sea Woolworths is now an indoor market (Image: Paul Scoplin / Google)

The Burnham-on-Sea store opened in a former cinema building on High Street in 1952.

It reportedly closed in the late 1970s or early 1980s and the site is now occupied by the Burnham Shopping Centre indoor market.

Chard

Chard’s former Woolworths store is now home to Peacocks. (Image: Google)

Woolworths opened at 16 Fore Street in July 1965.

Following the retailer's collapse, the store closed in 2009.

It later became Store Twenty One and is now occupied by Peacocks.

Clevedon

Clevedon’s former Woolworths is now home to Proper Job (Image: Mike Betts / Google)

The Clevedon branch opened on Old Street in the late 1950s and traded for around 50 years.

Proper Job took over the building in 2009 and continues to operate there today.

Much of the former Woolworths frontage is still recognisable.

Crewkerne

Crewkerne Dental Care now occupies the former Woolworths store (Image: NHS Somerset)

Crewkerne's Woolworths opened on Market Street in November 1957 and closed in 2009.

The former store is now home to Crewkerne Dental Care.

Frome

Iceland now occupies Frome’s former Woolworths store (Image: Paul Scoplin / Google)

The Frome branch opened on Market Place in 1934 and traded for more than seven decades.

Following its closure in December 2008, the building became an Iceland supermarket.

Glastonbury

Glastonbury’s former Woolworths is now home to Earthfare (Image: Earthfare)

Woolworths arrived in Glastonbury in September 1954 and remained on the High Street for 54 years.

The store closed in December 2008 and is now occupied by Earthfare.

Keynsham

Keynsham Pharmacy now occupies the former Woolworths store (Image: Keynsham Pharmacy)

The Keynsham store opened on the High Street in 1956 and closed in January 1989.

After serving as a bank for many years, the building is now occupied by Keynsham Pharmacy.

Minehead

Minehead’s former Woolworths is now home to Iceland (Image: John Ward / Google)

Minehead's Woolworths opened on The Avenue in 1936 and remained there until January 2009.

The former store is now occupied by Iceland.

Nailsea

One of the newest Woolworths stores in the country, the Nailsea branch opened at 61-63 High Street in October 2007 in a former Kwik Save.

It survived little more than a year, closing on January 6, 2009.

The Original Factory Shop later occupied the building, but has since closed.

Shepton Mallet

The empty Shepton Mallet Woolworths store pictured in 2010 (Image: Elaine Owen / Geograph)

Woolworths opened at the Townsend Shopping Centre in 2008, making it one of the chain's newest stores.

It closed just months later in January 2009 and is now occupied by New Look.

Taunton

The former Woolworths store in Taunton town centre (Image: Nick Chipchase / Geograph)

Taunton's Woolworths opened in 1922 and became known as one of the county's grandest branches.

The store closed on January 5, 2009.

TK Maxx later took over the Fore Street building.

Wellington

Coffee#1 now occupies Wellington’s former Woolworths store (Image: Coffee#1)

The Wellington store opened on Fore Street in 1935 and traded for 73 years before closing in December 2008.

The building is now home to Coffee#1.

Wells

Fosso Lounge now occupies Wells’ former Woolworths store (Image: Rosie Zhu / Google)

Woolworths opened in Wells in 1936 in a Grade II-listed High Street building.

The store closed in January 2009 and later became an Original Factory Shop.

Today, the building is occupied by Fosso Lounge.

Weston-super-Mare

Poundland occupies Weston-super-Mare’s former Woolworths building (Image: Jo Steve Turner / Geograph)

One of Woolworths' longest-running stores, the Weston-super-Mare branch opened on High Street in 1919.

It closed on December 30, 2008.

After briefly being occupied by Ethel Austin and Au Naturale, the building became a Poundland store in 2011.

Yeovil

Woolworths in Yeovil shortly before its December 2008 closure (Image: Sarah Smith / Geograph)

The Yeovil branch opened on Middle Street in November 1925 and was expanded and modernised several times over the decades.

It closed in December 2008 and the building is now occupied by Primark.

Although the Woolworths name disappeared from Somerset's high streets nearly two decades ago, many of the former stores remain key parts of town centres across the county.

From Poundland and Primark to coffee shops, pharmacies, lounges and independent retailers, the buildings continue to serve local communities while preserving memories of one of Britain's best-known retail chains.