I WAS very surprised when I heard about the closure of Woolies in Above Bar, Southampton.

I worked there from 1961 to 2002 when I retired. I have some very good memories of the time I was there. I went to see the girls last week and they are all devastated. The short notice they were given is appalling.

In 1987 we were told that within six months we were going to close. I remember how I felt as I had just taken on a mortgage. We were lucky at that time, as obviously it didn't happen.

As you can imagine, in my time there I saw many changes - decimal currency, no more personal service and the extension of the store, also the road outside becoming a pedestrian precinct and many more changes too numerous to mention.

We used to have some great parties in the canteen until health and safety raised its head. We also used to have a float in the now defunct carnival, it was great fun. That was back in the 1970s.

It will be a sad day when Woolies close on September 1.

MISS N L BARNES, Sholing, Southampton.