Department store to take over Caernarfon Woolworths site

TRADERS and shoppers breathed a sigh of relief this week after it was announced that a new lease of life is set to be injected into a prime retail location just before Christmas.

For almost two years, the empty Woolworths store in Pool Street has been a talking point amongst Caernarfon residents with many showing concern that it was one of the fallen high street giant’s only local branches not to have been bought up by investors.

That all changed this week when it was revealed that the Original Factory Shop, a department store chain, is set to open its doors at the site before Christmas creating 20 jobs in the process.

Original Factory Shop area manager Lee West said: “We’ve had our eye on the building for quite some time now but we are only now in a position to announce we are about to take it over.

“We’ve taken over old Woolworths stores in Porthmadog and Pwllheli as well as a variety of other locations and we have found that they have been doing very well and we hope the same will happen with the Caernarfon store.”

“Of course there will be some competition with other businesses but we have chosen Caernarfon specifically because there is virtually no competition in the field and therefore we feel that we wouldn’t be in direct competition with other outlets.

“What we have found with the Factory Shop outlets is that they tend to increase footfall in a particular area and we do find that this does in many cases benefit local businesses.”

Woolworths closed its Caernarfon, Pwllheli and Porthmadog stores, on January 2, 2009, with the loss of more than 100 jobs locally.

Work has already started on converting the Pool street building into a fit for purpose store with firm bosses hoping to throw open its doors by December 11.

Store bosses say that they plan to spread their wares over two floors making it a bigger retail attraction than the old Woolworths.

It is anticipated that the move will create 15 new jobs, including two shift manager posts, as well as an additional five part time positions in the run-up to Christmas.

Local businessman and Caernarfon councillor Endaf Cooke said that the announcement meant exciting times for the town.

He said: “There has been a lot of negativity in Caernarfon since Woolworths closed.

“The news that the building is set to be re-occupied in itself is a mega boost, but it will also help create jobs and have a knock-on effect on small businesses.

“I think it will make a massive difference to the town, at the moment the building’s an eyesore and the street’s quiet because it’s empty.

“I think that it’s great that a company such as this is showing confidence in Caernarfon and vibrancy is exactly what we want to attract people into the town centre.”

“I hope it could also be the first step in attracting new businesses into the town.”

Arfon AM Alun Ffred Jones welcomed the announcement and said:

“At a time when businesses in general are facing severe difficulties, the opening of a new store at this location is excellent news for the town and surrounding areas.

“It is sad to see this building, with all its memories, lying empty in such a prominent part of town, and the new store will provide a valuable and convenient facility for local people and visitors alike.

“I know that the Original Factory Shop has been well supported in other Gwynedd towns where they have taken over former Woolworth sites, and I wish the Caernarfon store every success.”