A YEAR full of twists and turns appeared to throw another curveball with the news that one of the nation’s most loved retailers was making an unexpected comeback in 2021.

Since confirmed to have been a spoof, it was announced that Woolworths would be returning to the high street with three trial stores due to open late next year.

The retailer went into administration in 2008 and closed all of its UK stores, including numerous across Essex, by January 2009.

While the announcement has been confirmed as a hoax by the company which owns the rights, Very, it got us thinking about when Woolies was a mainstay of our high streets and Gazette readers will surely have good memories of the retailer being on our doorstep.