New store at Woolies High Street site (From Thisisdorset)

New store at Woolies High Street site

8:00am Friday 25th June 2010 in Latest By Juliette Astrup

AFTER languishing empty for 18 months the former Woolworths on Poole High Street has a new occupant.

Devon-based chain This is it has signed a 10-year lease and is set to open there in September.

Not too dissimilar from its predecessor, the new store will offer a range of high value stock – from toys to electrical goods to homewares and gardening equipment.

Work has already begun on a £500,000 refit, and recruitment for 20 staff started this week.

After decades in the town Woolworths closed when the chain went into administration in November 2008 as the recession began to bite.

The long-awaited arrival of its replacement will be a welcome boost to the High Street, particularly following a drop-off in visitors in recent months.

This inward investment into the High Street speaks volumes

Poole town centre manager Richard Randle-Jones said it “spoke volumes” about the future.

“Many thought it would never be occupied given the current economic climate,” he added.

“This inward investment into the High Street speaks volumes.

“From all the other towns they could have chosen in the South-West, they have chosen Poole as their destination of choice and this should be viewed as an extremely exciting and encouraging step towards the future of the High Street.”

The Poole store will bring the This is it chain to five, with three stores in Devon and one in Somerset.

The company behind it is importer and distributor Wilton Bradley Ltd based in Newton Abbot, Devon.

They source goods from around the world, in particular the Far East and mainland China.