New arrival will be final piece in ex-Woolies jigsaw (From Herald Series)

Cargo's takeoever of former Woolworths store in Wantage next week will complete the replacement of ex-Woolies stores in the county

12:27pm Thursday 18th February 2010 in Wantage/Grove

THE arrival of furniture retailer Cargo in Wantage next week means that every store in the county left vacant by the demise of Woolworths is under new ownership.

All nine former Woolworths stores in Oxfordshire have found new tenants within 15 months of the former high street giant closing. The last remaining store at Wantage will be filled by Thame-based Cargo on Friday next week, employing ten staff.

Oxfordshire Town Chambers Network director Iain Nicholson said: “When Woolworths closed its stores, it left a hole in our town and shopping centres.

“The fact that all nine have been taken up by other retailers is very encouraging.”

Mr Nicholson said: “It has been a challenging year for business, and retail has been no exception, but there is a huge amount of work being done to strengthen our high streets.

“That needs to continue, but the reletting of the ex-Woolworths stores and the numbers of independent stores opening in our towns is a strong signal of the confidence there is in our high streets and shopping centres even in these challenging economic times.”

As previously reported in the Herald, Costa Coffee is also set to move into the Arbery Building, also in Wantage Market Place, on Friday, March 5.

The new arrivals mean every empty shop in the Market Place has been filled, prompting business leaders to claim trade in Wantage is “on the way up”.

This time last year there were five empty premises as traders struggled to cope with the global economic crisis. But the arrival of Cargo will mean every shop is occupied and trading.

Wantage Chamber of Commerce said it was “cautiously optimistic” about the town’s business economy.

Chairman John Naish said: “The arrival of Cargo is great for the town and good news for businesses.

“Wantage is doing well and it now means every store in the Market Place is full, which is of course a good sign.

“What is also very heartening is that another of the new businesses is a butcher’s, which is the type of store which would only launch in an area where there was a demand for independent traders.”

Mr Naish added: “I don’t think the problem was ever quite as bad as was painted. There are empty shops at all times, not just in recessions. But this, nonetheless, does show the town is on the way up.”

l The stores taking up the ex-Woolworths premises around the county are: Iceland (Bicester); H&M (Banbury); Sainsbury’s (Thame and Henley); 99p Stores (Witney and Templars Square, Oxford); Cargo (Abingdon & Wantage) and Alworths (Didcot) — the latter the first store opened in a new chain run by former Woolworths executives.