What happened to the world of Woolworths?

But Woolworths' 100-year history came to an end in January 2009 when it finally shut the doors of its 807 UK branches after collapsing into administration the previous November.

A total of 27,000 jobs were lost after debts of £385 million meant administrators Deloitte were unable to find a buyer.

Deloitte sold off the individual branches, including nine in Shropshire and Mid Wales.

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Five years on, how are they faring?

In Newport, just two months after Woolworths shut its doors it was replaced by a B&M Bargain Store.

Patrick Beech, Chairman of the Newport & District Chamber of Commerce, said: "When they announced they were closing Woolworths I thought 'Oh crikey' because it's a big store and I thought it would be empty for a while.

"But B&M must have been waiting because they were in almost immediately. It was a blessing. It would seem they are doing well because they are always busy. It's a bit like Woolworths but it's better organised and there are more products. B&M have got it right."

In Oswestry, Woolworths was also replaced by a discount retailer, with Home Bargains moving into the Bailey Street premises a few months after Woolworths shut, bringing with it 40 jobs and a £500,000 refit.

Heather Noble, chairman of Oswestry Chamber of Commerce, said the loss of Woolworths was keenly felt.

She said: "I think people were attached to the Woolworths name because it had been around for so long. Although there are still people who will say they miss the Woolworths shops the closure did provide opportunities for other businesses."

Steve Kaye, chairman of the Welshpool Local Business Forum, said although many people were sad to see the town's Woolworths go, the gap had been "quickly filled".

Clothing firm M&Co is now operating from the Broad Street premises and Mr Kaye, a Welshpool town councillor, said: "In Welshpool we try to fill any gaps very quickly through independent traders moving in or making the best of what we have already."

The town saw the opening of a multi-million pound Tesco in 2011.

"Tesco took up a lot of the trade that Woolworths would have had and pound shops have also helped quickly fill the gap left," said Mr Kaye.

"Premises that are empty are quickly filled up by other people moving in and that is very positive."

However it is not the same story everywhere.

Newtown, in Mid Wales, is still feeling the loss of its Woolworths, one councillor said today.

Joy Jones, county councillor for Newtown, said the loss of the Broad Street branch was a "huge blow" and many people still long for a similar shop to be set up.

The premises are now used by clothing chain outfit Store Twenty One.

Mrs Jones said: "Five years does go fast but even now people say they miss Woolworths because after it went, there was no store similar in nature to it in Newtown.

"The loss of Woolworths was a big one for Newtown because it was so popular and everyone used it.

"The closure of the shop affected Newtown tremendously and I remember many people were disappointed to see it go.

"Everyone used it a lot and you would see people you know in it all the time and you would see the mums taking a shop around after they have dropped of the kids at school.

"It has never really been replaced."

At Telford Shopping Centre, Centre director Chris Jones, said: "We were all saddened to see Woolworths leave the centre and shocked by the demise of such a longstanding brand across the country."

"It is however, very ironic that 99p Stores currently occupies the space where Woolworths used to be because it follows a familiar ethos to F W Woolworth's original concept, with nothing priced above sixpence – around two-and-a-half pence today.

"In America, Woolworths was known as the 'five cent store'. Today 99p Stores provides shoppers with a similar offering to Woolworths' early days, from stationery to everyday household items at an affordable price."

In Wellington, Woolworths is now a branch of a frozen food chain Heron, while in Bridgnorth, the building was taken over by The Factory Shop.

In Whitchurch, Woolworths was replaced by discount store Poundstretcher in 2010.

Councillor Rob Hewson, mayor of Whitchurch, said: "It was a shame when Woolworths went into liquidation. But Poundstretchers has done an excellent job and it is well supported."

In Market Drayton, Woolworths was replaced by fashion retailer Peacocks in 2010. Mark Whittle, chairman of Market Drayton Chamber of Trade, said: "Woolworths is missed because of the diversity of stock it held.

"When Peacocks took over I was really pleased as it is a high quality store. It is exactly what we needed."

In Shrewsbury, the shop on Castle Street wasn't empty for long with Swedish fashion house H&M and Home Bargains taking over.

Kevin Lockwood, manager of the Darwin, Pride Hill and Riverside Shopping Centres, said: "The fall of the Woolworths empire was something that rocked the retail world and it's something that many town centres have never recovered from.

"Happily here in Shrewsbury the unique mix of major high street retailers and small independents meant it didn't have a major effect."

Ludlow's Woolworths on Castle Street, was snapped up by Spar Convenience Stores the following April.

Four years later the Spar shop is still going strong, and now also houses a branch of Subway under the same roof.