PICTURES: Looking back to when Woolworths in Bridgwater closed down

The department store, famed for selling everything from records to rolling pins, posters to party food, was a high-profile casualty of the high street revolution after the arrival of online shopping.

READ MORE: Woolworths to return to the high street in 2021

In Bridgwater, the town's branch in Eastover closed in December 2008, much to the annoyance of many - including staff.

The Mercury of January 6, 2009, featured the views of traders in Eastover, who said they feared the closure could be disastrous for the already fragile area.

Chris Llewellyn, landlord of the Cobblestones Inn pub in Eastover, said: “It is not looking good for Eastover at the moment.

“The Woolworths store closure in Taunton will not affect business there as much as it will do here.

“When Asda was built the area was promised a sum of money towards the regeneration but where has that gone?

“It would be nice if the district council could assist businesses in Eastover by lowering rates; therefore more businesses could be attracted back to the area.”

Sedgemoor District Council said it wanted to regenerate the Eastover area but another trader, who owned a shop in the area, said: “The situation in the area will not improve until the regeneration is put into effect.

“People just cut through Eastover and St John Street to get to Asda or the shops in Fore Street. It is looking more like a morgue.

“Bridgwater is a lovely town full of lovely people and has a enormous amount of potential but independent shops here will be dead soon and it will be full of supermarkets.”

Here are some pictures from the Mercury when Woolworths disappeared from our shopping experience...

And what about now? Well, the store is now occupied by hardware and homeware retailer, Proper Job...