Back in the day, Woolworths was the place to go if you wanted a giant pick-and-mix bag and an overpriced CD single.
Although the glory days may be long gone, the good people of Britain are still nostalgic for the now defunct retail giant of the 1980s.
In fact, during a recent poll of things Brits would most like to see a comeback, Woolworths was triumphant once more, hogging an impressive 67 per cent of the vote.
The poll was conducted by adult hotel group Warner Leisure Hotels, who surveyed 1,236 respondents from all across the UK. And it appears we really are a nostalgic bunch.
Other fondly remembered extinct things included the BBC children’s TV show, Watch with Mother, Jackie Magazine and the Dairy Milk Chocolate Dispenser (YES one thousand times to this last one).
According to Warner Leisure Hotels Marketing Director Mat Finch:
We all, at some point, harp back to the good times that have gone by, to our childhood memories and the things that made us happy growing up into adulthood.
It’s the spirit we keep alive at Warner, creating moments together that our guests can cherish for years to come.
Here is a list of the top ten things Brits wish to resurrect, and there is sure to be something here to make you feel wistful:
1.Woolworths – 67 per cent
2.Arctic Rolls – 22 per cent
3.Penny Sweet Shops – 19 per cent
4.Dairy Milk Chocolate Dispenser – 17 per cent
5.Watch with Mother – 17 per cent
6.Vol-au-vents – 13 per cent
7.Saturday Morning Swap Shop – 12 per cent
8.Babycham – 11 per cent
9.Corona Man – 10 per cent
10.Jackie Magazine – 8 per cent
Participants were asked why they made their choices, with four in ten admitting the thing in question brings back happy memories.
A quarter chose something which took them back to their childhood, whereas 17 per cent agreed contemporary Britain just isn’t the same without these British staples.
The poll also investigated the personal experience of bygone-times Brits miss the most which – rather sweetly – includes taking the time to hold hands with your beloved. Aww.
Taking the time to sit together at the table as a family, enjoying a meal without any electronic devices also made the cut.
Participants also spoke about the decade they would most want to return to. Four out of ten most wanted to time travel back to the ‘carefree’ and fashion forward 1960s.
One out of five wanted to zip back to the disco-diva 1970s, whereas a relatively low 12 per cent wanted to make like Marty McFly and return to the 1950s.
Woolworths – or ‘Woolies’ as it was affectionately known – officially dissolved back in October 2015, having been a high street favourite since it was founded in Liverpool in 1909.
Good night, sweet prince of pencil cases. Your memory will echo in shopping precincts forever more.
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.