Our feature this week takes us along to Woolworths in the High Street, Warminster.
Newspaper reports outline that in July 1954 proposals were submitted to Warminster Urban District Council for FW Woolworth to convert 6 High Street, the former Hill House cafe into a multiple retail store.
At the time it was considered that the loss of the cafe would be a blow to the town as it served numerous coach parties that stopped of in the town benefiting shops in that area.
However the loss of the cafe was not regretted by some members of the council who were against three coaches parking abreast at the Town Hall Hill.
Following amended plans Woolworths were granted the planning permission to erect a new store and two lock up shop .and the new Woolworths store opened on February 23, 1956.
The International Stores moved into one of three shops from the Market Place and a cafe opened in the other known as the Billeric named after Bill and Eric who ran it.
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Woolworths owned all the land behind the shops up to Primrose Lane, now Flers Court and the Western car park.
The Woolworths of the 1950s had a big Berkel machine which weighed you for a penny fruit and veg in the windows and a good trade in all kinds of groceries as well as an extensive toiletries dept.
The groceries and fruit have long gone and in a more recent refurbishment scheme Woolworth reclassified their shops as local.
Warminster store became a local selling newspapers and magazines in the front of the shop.
In 1979 the International Stores closed and were replaced by a shoe shop.
Today, the pavement area has been widened and is home to a games shop a dry cleaners, a barbers and a sandwich bar as well as "Woollies".
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