A FORMER employee at the High Wycombe branch of Woolworths has blasted the way the administrators handled the closing of the company.

The High Wycombe and Beaconsfield branches were among the final 200 stores of the famous brand to close completely yesterday.

However, the employee, who asked not to be named, branded the handling of then closure by administrators Deloitte and Touche as “callous”.

The employee, who has worked for the chain for 31 years, said: “I don't blame Woolworths for what's happened or the way we have been dealt with.

“I feel the administrators have handled things in a callous way without consultation for employees. They had a job to do and they did it.”

Around 80 people were employed at the branch, with most now looking for work in the local area.

The employee continued: “Some people have managed to find other work. It still hasn't really sunk in for me yet, and I think I will start looking properly next week once I have got my head round it all.

“There has been a lot of interest from agencies in taking on our colleagues, and the Job Centre have also been really helpful through the whole process.”

The final shoppers left the store in the High Street at 5.30pm, when the doors were locked for the final time.

A team of staff will now work until Friday to clear out the remaining unsold stock and fixtures and fittings from the store, which opened in 1969 non the site of the former Red Lion Hotel.

The employee said: “It's been surprisingly upbeat, and the colleagues have all been in good spirits.

“A lot of people have said the reason Woolworths failed was because it didn't keep up with the times, but I don't think that's true.

“We had in store delivery, a website and even launched a catalogue to keep up with the times.

“I started at Woolwoths when I was 15, and have worked at three different stores. In each one people locally have always had a lot of affection for them. I really don't know why it failed.”