| Former type | Limited Company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail and distribution |
| Predecessor | Woolworths Plc |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founder(s) | Andy Latham |
| Defunct | 2011 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Area served | UK |
| Key people | Andy Latham |
| Products | General merchandise |
| Website | www.alworths.com |
Alworths was a chain of British high-street retail stores created out of the remains of some of the former stores of Woolworths Plc. When the company fell into administration 15 branches were acquired by Poundstretcher.
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At the end of 2008, and the beginning of 2009, the parent company of the Woolworths stores, Woolworths Plc, was in financial trouble, and went into administration. All of the Woolworths high street stores were then closed. During the demise of the company, Tony Page, former commercial director at Woolworths, together with former UBS banker Gareth Thomas, put together plans to establish a new general retailer to fill the gap on the High Street left by the demise of Woolworths.[1][2] A team was recruited, including Andy Latham, former Woolworths' Head of Store Concessions and Development. Latham later announced that he was starting Alworths (the store being named after Latham's initials) using funding from a wealthy relation. Page and Thomas announced that they were consulting their lawyers on courses of action against Latham. The first Alworths store, was in Didcot, opening on 5 November 2009, 100 years to the day of the original opening of the first British Woolworths store, over the following 12 months 18 other store opened.
On 1 March 2011, Andy Latham resigned as a director of the board.[3] Andy Latham set up a new company called 'Retail Acquisitions Ltd, with the same registered office as Alworths', prompting speculation that a pre-pack administration was being contemplated.
On Monday 28 March 2011 the company was placed into administration,[4][5] with many stores no longer selling music, games or even pick n mix. Policy of no returns has also come in to effect. By 25 April at least five store had closed, [6] the company no longer have any shops in Scotland.
On 5 May 2011, it was announced that the entire Alworths business had been bought by Poundstretcher who were acquiring 15 Alworths branches. Those not acquired are Llandudno and Evesham (and Amersham which had closed in 2010). [7]
In October 2009 it was announced that Latham had secured funding from a family member for a new company which would not involve Page or Thomas. Page said that as a result, he and Thomas were talking to their lawyers.[2] In the end, Page and Thomas did not pursue legal action as the business did not succeed.
In addition to legal action threatened by Page and Thomas, on 30 October 2009, it was announced that Woolworths brand owner Shop Direct had written to Alworths to demand that it cease from "using a name and a product mix and trading off the back of the goodwill of the Woolworths business". [8]
Shop Direct have subsequently decided against legal action
The new chain is branded 'Alworths' and announced store openings are:[9][10]
Other locations mentioned as possibly were Lanark in Lanarkshire,[22] and Faversham, Kent.[2] In late 2009 a Facebook campaign was started to get Alworths to open a store inside the old Woolworths in the Somerset town of Shepton Mallet.
The Didcot store opened on the 100th anniversary of the opening of the first Woolworths store in Britain, in the former Woolworths premises in Didcot, which had closed exactly eleven months earlier; many of the staff are former employees of Woolworths. At the Didcot opening, it was announced that a further 21 Alworths stores would open over the next year, with two being at other Oxfordshire locations.[23] while 7 will be in Scotland.[15][24][25] Alloa[26] will be the tenth store to be opened (the third in Scotland) but will also be the very first store not to be located in a old Woolworths store.[15]
The original Didcot branch closed on 8 August 2010 and the re-located branch, in the same shopping centre,[27] opened on 14 August 2010.[28] Amersham in Buckinghamshire closed on 12 September 2010.[29]
In early August 2010, Alworths store in Didcot closed down and moved to a smaller store after the landlord refused to renew the one year lease. The landlord initially hoped that Marks & Spencer (M&S) would takeover the store however in the end Curry's took over the lease as the store did not meet M&S's specifications.[27]
In the middle of August 2010, the landlord of another Alworths store in Amersham also refused to renew their one year lease however this time Alworths were unable to find another suitable premises in which to relocate which meant they had to leave the town. Waitrose is taking over a new lease for this store.[30]
After the company entered administration, the Evesham store closed and did not reopen after the purchase of the company by Poundstrecher. This now means that the first, second & third store that Alworths opened, have now all been closed.[29]
On 7 March 2011 the Llandudno branch was closed down by the landlords for non payment of rent; this store was already in the process have having a "closing down" sale, it had been open for less than a year.[31] Wednesday 9th march 2011 the Llandudno branch had reopened, however it's still continuined with its Closing Down Sale.