Wellworths store 'looking good'

DJ Chris Evans opened the store alongside manager Claire Robertson

The manager of a former Woolworths store - rebranded Wellworths - said things are "positive" after six months.

Claire Robertson who worked for the High Street chain for 18 years, reopened the Dorchester store in March.

She has admitted a weekly sales target of £38,000 has been revised to a lower figure but added the store was doing well in view of the recession.

Woolworths went into administration last year and its more than 800 stores closed after debts of £385m.

Ms Robertson said: "Now we've hit six months we will be doing our accounts and the way things are looking it is looking very good, it is looking positive.

"We are still in a recession and it's been hard but we've worked really hard to make it a success.

Pic 'n' mix

"It still doesn't even feel like we've been here six months.

"I'm just looking forward to the next six months."

The range in the new store has also expanded with DVDs, CDs and computer games now on sale alongside old Woolworths favourites like pic 'n' mix.

"Nearly a third of the old Woolworths store was probably entertainment, which proved part of its downfall, whereas I literally only sell it in small amounts," Ms Robertson added.

"We decided to bring it in as customers were asking for it."

The old Woolworths store in Weymouth, like many across the country, is still lying empty, but Ms Robertson said plans to expand her Wellworths empire were a long way off.

"It would be lovely to have another one but we still have a lot of work to do here.

"It is only six months and I'm not going to start opening more stores without doing this well first."

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