After decades of pick-a-mix gluttony and fulfilling its role as darting place for last minute present dashes Woolworths has finally said farewell to Medway.

The High Street branch at Strood shut for the final time on Tuesday and Chatham on Saturday.

Stores in Twydall and Gillingham pulled down the shutters down for the final time on December 30.

Medway had the largest concentration of Woolworths stores in the county with key locations at the heart of their communities, but it wasn’t enough to save them from the deepest economic downturn in 60 years.

This picture shows staff signing off from the Gillingham branch on its final day.

One employee who asked not to be named, wrote a letter to the Medway Messenger describing the store’s last weeks in business with comments not entirely complimentary about closing sale bargain hunters.

She said: “Since we went into administration it was a real eye-opener as to what people are really like.

“We the staff have gone through hell and back the way we have been treated by customers. They seem to think it is OK to verbally abuse staff because of the closure.

“To say they are like vultures, is not fair to vultures.

“Anyone would think they (the customers) were never able to buy anything anywhere ever again the way they acted.

“All they kept asking is when was our last day, so they could get a bargain. They didn’t seem to care that we were all losing our jobs.

“We even had people helping themselves to drinks, sweets and crisps and just eating them in store without paying.

“The last few days were just awful, we carried on, but people were so abusive.”

“We did have some lovely customers but these were rare.

“On the last day there was a huge queue outside the store.

“The staff coped well, but we had so much shoplifting on that day. It had to be seen to be believed. Lots of the staff were in tears.

“When we finally closed the doors many customers still refused to leave. It was really upsetting.

“It’s such as shame that Woolworths has closed, but no one gives a damn about us.”

• Do you have any memories or stories about Woolworths in Medway, if so, call the newsroom on 01634 227803 or email medwaymessenger.co.uk.