Shake-up for struggling 'son of Woolworths'

For fans of Woolworths, it was seen as the noble resurrection of a much-loved business.

But just 18 months after its first store opened, the Alworths chain is in the midst of a shake-up that will see it acquire new ownership.

Retail Week reports today that founder Andy Latham has quit as a director, while setting up a new firm, Retail Acquisitions, which is due to take control of Alworths.

Alworth positioned itself as "son of Woolworths" with a focus on pic '*' mix sweets and other staples of the collapsed empire.

Critics struggled to see how Alworths would succeed where Woolies had failed, noting that affection for the idea of the company was not matched by spending in stores.

Alworths has 17 shops, some in former Woolworths premises, but has already had battles with landlords, some of whom have been reluctant to renew leases.

The trade paper suggests today that a pre-pack administration - the fashionable method for companies in difficulty to stay alive - is possible.

Alworths did not return calls or emails seeking comment.

The Woolworths brand itself has been reborn online, under the management of Shop Direct, which used to be known as Littlewoods.