Closure of Woolworths- recession 2008/9

My mother shopped here in the old days

For cotton and thread, a few sweets.

Taking care of the pennies as always;

Anxious to give us some treats.

For a hundred years they'd been trading,

Vending through two world-wide wars.

This winter with every hope fading,

They finally closed all their doors.

They never kept pace with the changes.

Lost business to buying on-line.

With stocks of out of date ranges,

Their profits began to decline.

Look, lights from the shops all around, see

Shine out on the glistening road,

But the shadows of Woolies engulf me;

Unable to shoulder their load.

Friendly old stores that have lost their way;

Prime sites for the movers and shakers.

Iceland's bought fifty to make them pay.

C'mon! where's the rest of the takers?

Don Filliston.

Storrington