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21st Century Shopping - Broadmead Bristol

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  • 21st Century Shopping - Broadmead Bristol

    Remember the big Woolworths in Broadmead, Bristol? It had an enormous ground floor. There was no proper upstairs, rather it had a balcony at the back (Fairfax Street end), and which extended around both sides of the building, but neither side reached the very front (Broadmead end).

    I remember seeing a report on Points West in October 1982 about it: Woolworths in Broadmead Bristol had just closed down, and reopened as 21st Century Shopping. Quite a few changes were made going from Woolworths to 21st Century Shopping: most obviously the name was changed at the entrances to the building, also internally the building was completely refitted. I think the new look store stocked fewer lines than Woolworths, but more of the lines that were now available.

    In half term week October 1982, I went with my family for a day shopping to Broadmead Bristol, and we saw inside 21st Century Shopping. I was surprised how much it had been changed from Woolworths, totally different store layout.

    Sadly it was an overnight disaster. Come spring 1983, there was another report on Points West saying it was going to be converted back to the original Woolies format. So the name Woolworths returned to the building entrances, but that was about it really. They didn't restore the internal decoration to as it was before the conversion to 21st Century Shopping. The next time I was there with my family was half term October 1983, and they were still using 21st Century Shopping price tags and carrier bags, even though the place was then officially called Woolworths again. Well, I suppose they had to use up the old stock of bags.

    I think this was the only Woolworths store that was given this treatment. Circa September 1982 I remember hearing a rumour about Woolworths closing down all over the country, something I just couldn't believe at the time (as a kid). According to Wikipedia, in 1982 the British Woolworths was acquired by Paternoster Stores Ltd, the forerunner of Kingfisher plc. Not sure when in 1982 that's referring to, perhaps they mean circa September/October 1982. All I do remember one morning thwhen getting ready for school was hearing on the radio September/October 1982 something about Paternoster taking over Woolworths ... and thus wondering if all Woolworths stores would be renamed Paternoster stores.

    Thinking about it since then, my hypothetical guess Paternoster Stores Ltd decided to try out a new store format as an experiment at one of the larger UK Woolworths stores, so they happened to pick the Bristol Broadmead one at which to try out the "experimental?" 21st Century Shopping format.

    Does anyone else from the Bristol area or beyond remember the Woolworths store in Broadmead, Bristol being "21st Century Shopping"? I've searched the Internet for it, and can't find many references to it, or photos of the building branded 21st Century Shopping. Has everyone forgotten about it - partly due to that reign being so short?

    After getting the Woolworths name back late spring 1983, the Bristol Broadmead Woolworths store had a refit spring 1984. Sadly it didn't last much longer after that. Circa 1988, it closed for good, and was knocked down along with the ugly white elephant Fairfax House (former Co-op), and loads of other shops in Fairfax Street and some in Merchant Street (south), to make way for The Galleries Shopping Centre (now called The Mall Bristol) which opened in 1992, and which I first visited January 1995. Woolworths then became a shadow of its former self, a little corner unit on the ground floor of The Galleries, lacking a restaurant.
    Last edited by Star Attraction; 20-03-2010, 11:37.
    I am 13 ... times 4.

  • #2
    Re: 21st Century Shopping - Broadmead Bristol

    I knew that the American Woolworths company sold off their intrest in the British shops at the start of the 1980s.

    This would be about the time the Winfield instore brand & the loopy W logo was dropped.
    The Trickster On The Roof

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    • #3
      Re: 21st Century Shopping - Broadmead Bristol

      Sorry to bump a thread that hasn't been replied to in 18 months.

      Today I Googled for "21st Century Shopping" + Bristol, and found an article about the Bristol Broadmead Woolworth store during its short-lived reign as 21st Century Shopping. Here is the article on the Woolworths Mueum.

      It's interesting that I found it today, whereas when I launched this thread 18 months ago I couldn't find anything anywhere about that store. Maybe that's an article that's been added in the last few months.
      I am 13 ... times 4.

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      • #4
        Re: 21st Century Shopping - Broadmead Bristol

        That's a really interesting site.

        My Dad often mentions that Wilkinson's are a lot like Woolies where when he was young.

        Clas Olson are fairly similar as well.
        The Trickster On The Roof

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        • #5
          Re: 21st Century Shopping - Broadmead Bristol

          Yes, Wilkinson's is a bit like Woolworth's, in terms of what they sell, except it doesn't attract young people. It was Woolies' music and confectionary sections that brought the kids and teenagers in.

          I worked in Woolworth's for a little while, not long before they finally folded, going in just once a week to fill the jelly bean containers. When their closure was announced, I made sure I did a bit of Christmas shopping there as there would never be another chance. I also bought a couple of things for myself - a portable radio that has the Woolworth's brand printed on it, and a light bulb, the packaging for which I may still have somewhere.
          The present is a foreign country. They do things differently here.

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          • #6
            Re: 21st Century Shopping - Broadmead Bristol

            Oh yes, what a place. I've seen new shops come and go, but nowhere has ever had the impact that 21st Century Shopping had on my ten year old eyes. When it opened it truly looked modern. The bright white interior and way of displaying items was like something out of 2001 A Space Oddesey, indeed it's a look I've copied for out front room ever since! The old Woolworths was horribly dated, this new shop had great stock and was a joy to go into. A sad day when it closed. I've not lived in Bristol for more than twenty years and when I go back it's sad to see how much it's changed. Fairfax house was amazing, shopping in a long thin department store on so many tiered levels due to it being built on a hill. I went to school in the centre when it was being torn down, I've got a few photos of the demolition tucked away.

            I'm sure a top celeb opened 21st Century, I'll ask my dad next time I see him as he was active in the celeb circles back then (he did a lot of work for HTV and on films such as Return of the Jedi). Speaking of which, 21st century started a hobby that has made me a lot of money. They brought in random stock for their closing down sale, one of the items was 10 Star Wars figures for £1, in a plastic bag with no cards/weapons. Palitoy was shutting down at the time so they obviously got a great deal. After the boom years of Star Wars toys all of the kids must have had all of the figures as they couldn't shift them, so on the 'make an offer' final day I acquired roughly 3000 star wars figures for £80, my Xmas money. These, combined with another deal in the early 90s to buy an entire room full of film quad posters, standees, and unsold merchandise from the Cannon Cinema in Whiteladies Road, a bunch of other 'stuff shops no longer wanted' deals and the advent of eBay meant that in 2001 I shifted a whole collection of rare items and made enough to buy a second house, starting off my little 'property empire'! This shopping experience may have failed but it made my family's life a lot better!
            I collect game prices for retro consoles from eBay

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