FORMER Woolworths employees who formed a new company after the High Street giant collapsed are to take over the old store in Amersham.

Alworths, which describes itself as a 'general retailer', will open for business at the former Woolworths site in Sycamore Road on November 12.

It will be the second alworths to open anywhere in Britain – seven days after the flagship store opens in Didcot, Oxfordshire.

The company was created by Andy Latham, who worked for Woolworths for 25 years.

A former colleague has already been appointed Store Manager for Amersham alworths – and the company is hoping to offer jobs to other former Woolies employees who were made redundant when the company went into administration earlier this year.

Mr Latham said: “We're really excited to be launching in Amersham, this will be our second store and we hope it will be well received by the local community.

“We chose Amersham primarily because it was a very good Woolworths store. Woolworths left a big gap in the high street and in many peoples' lives and we know that shoppers have not been able to find the products they need in their local towns.”

He added: “Alworths will be a little department store on the high street with a very good range of products at value for money prices.”

Alworths plan to open three more stores before Christmas and hope to have 22 operating within the next twelve months.

It will stock many products that will be familiar to Woolworths customers such as toys, sweets, homeware, stationery, seasonal and garden products.