I'm going to miss Woolies. There was always one by the seaside. And you could always get dry socks if your child ran into the sea without warning. And you could get mugs there. And those things you attach to your keys to help you not lose them. And toys. And sweets. And kettles.
And even if someone buys them it won't be the same. Because they'll bring in missions and purpose and focus and rigour and we'll be stuck with the bland results of the pursuit of excellence. There'll be no room for the shambolic, miscellaneous and messy, for employees who are earning a living, not living the dream. I'm as guilty as the next person in moaning about queues and lack of stock and all the stuff that ruins shopping, but there should be room for something unkempt and rubbish in our lives too. I know that's not much of a selling point, but I'm going to miss Woolies.
