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Shop Direct to Relaunch Woolworths

by Terri Potratz | February 2, 2009 at 11:38 am

365 views | 3 Recommendations | 2 comments

Shop Direct has purchased the recently collapsed Woolworths, and will relaunch the British retailer as an online brand. Woolworths was forced to close all 800 of their stores in December after going into administration and failing to find a buyer.

Shop Direct, which is owned by Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay, owners of The Daily Telegraph, plans to re-launch Woolworths as an online retailer later this year.
Mark Newton-Jones, chief executive of Shop Direct, said: "It is clear that the British public has a great affection for Woolworths. It is still deeply loved and despite losing its way is an important part of the country's retail heritage."

"This is great news and we are confident that Woolworths, as an online brand, will once again prosper. In what will be Woolworths' 100th year, we are proud to be reviving the brand," he added.

Shop Direct is an online retailer with annual sales of around £1.6 billion.

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generaldecay

at 23:05 on February 2nd, 2009

I'm very happy about this. I was sorry to see the Woolworths brand go!

harringtola

at 14:59 on February 4th, 2009

I am very happy about it being an online retailer. I miss Woolworths. It is a childhood memory for me and I am in the USA, so the online aspect will allow me to shop there as well.