Poundland store opens on old Woolworth's site (From Times Series)

Poundland store opens on old Woolworth's site in North Finchley

12:11pm Thursday 15th October 2009 in News By Kevin Bradford

ANYONE collecting a penny for people's thoughts would have made a lot of money outside the new North Finchley Poundland store today.

Opinions were mixed as to whether the budget shop could replace the defunct Woolworths brand which had stood on the site in High Road for so many years previously.

The premises had remained vacant since the failed high street chain closed in January, and the sight of shelves heaving full of stock was a far cry from the decrepit fittings on display when it was last open for custom.

But despite boasting popular household products, all available for £1, not all shoppers were convinced it could fully replace Woolworths or create the fondness felt towards the 99-year-old brand.

Jasmine Holden, 23, said: “I miss Woolies everytime I see the the ladybird label on the back of the kids' clothes.

“This is great but it can't replace Woolworths, that always had everything.

“Everybody went there since they were a kid and although it's wicked, this just isn't the same.”

Another customer, 24-year-old Latoya Williams, said: “You used to go to Woolworths to get something specific, but with this you feel like you just go there to see what you can find and pick up whatever's there.”

Gina Kasomali said: “Poundland can never replace a Woolies.

“They had everything, like school uniforms and the new store doesn't have that, which will be a major issue for some people.”

Two other branches of Woolworths closed in the turn-of-the-year cull, in Burnt Oak and Edgware, and both have been replaced by 99p stores.

There was however plenty of support for the new store, including from 69-year-old Jack Bamford, who had just stocked up on stationery.

He said: “This is much better and cheaper.

“In Smith's [which is also in High Road] it cost almost a pound for just one envelope where as I've got eight for a pound.

“I think Smith's will lose a lot of money and this shop will do really well, because the next nearest one isn't until south of Wood Green.”

Poundland's area business manager, Phil Smith, visited the store to oversee the opening.

He said: “We do a lot of research into an are before we move in and this is a great location for us in the middle of the hight street.

“We hope to replace some of the value range items lost from the Woolworths closure such as sweets or household products.

“We also think we will increase footfall for other traders in the high street as we are a destination shop people want to come to. We get a large variety of customers from school kids getting sweets and stationary in the morning to OAPs looking for household products for daily use.”

Store manager Parvinder Singh added: “We are very positive about it and people will definitely come to our store.

“We offer amazing value and good customer service so we are sure it will do well.”