Woolworths Group had been opened, although in April the company also entered administration and closed. The Woolworths store in Dorchester, Dorset was reopened as an independent business named "Wellworths" by the store manager Claire Robertson. The store was officially opened by BBC Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans on 11 March 2009. It was later renamed "Wellchester". Wellchester ceased trading in August 2012, after store manager Claire Robertson left to set up her own retail consultancy business. The Woolworths brand and domain was bought by Shop Direct Group, owned by Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay, on 2 February 2009. The company announced
Woolworths Group buyer of Candyking "pick 'n' mix" sweets. It was sometimes referred to as "Woolies" by the UK media, the general public, and occasionally in its own television commercials. The British company also owned and ran F. W. Woolworth Ireland until 1984 and Woolworths (Cyprus) until 2003. On 26 November 2008, trading of shares in Woolworths Group was suspended, and its Woolworths and Entertainment UK subsidiaries entered administration. Deloitte closed all 807 Woolworths stores between 27 December 2008 and 6 January 2009, resulting in 27,000 job losses. Woolworths Group plc entered administration on 27 January 2009, and it was officially dissolved