Woolworths expecting a tough Christmas?

Woolworths in Castleton, one of the town's largest employers, has cancelled its retirees Christmas lunch this year.

Rochdale Online received a copy of a letter today (Wednesday 29 October) that has been sent out by the company's Director of IT Tony Godwin, which highlighted the credit crunch as the reason for the cancellation and also included the statement 'we have much to do if we are ever to make this company of ours great again'.

Every year many former employees at Woolworths join the company at their Royle Barn Road site for a Christmas lunch but there will be no such event this year.

Mr Godwin revealed in his letter that the company's half year results were disappointing and that the company was focussing all of its efforts on delivering a successful Christmas period for its customers in store.

Part of Mr Godwin's letter reads: "As I am sure you will have seen from the newspapers and the television the financial markets right now are not in great shape and this alone has had a major impact on each of us individually as well as the retail sector. You will no doubt have also seen that the company's half year results were disappointing and we have much to do if we are ever to make this company of ours great again.

"With all this in mind, and the need to ensure we have a clear focus on delivering a resounding success in store for our customers, I have reluctantly decided that we will not hold a Christmas lunch this year. I hope that you understand the situation and are not too disappointed. I can only apologise to you should this be the case."

Woolworths hope that they can reinstate the event at some stage in the future.