Former Boots staff remember how Falkirk town centre used to be

The six woman all used to work for High Street chemist Boots and some hadn’t seen each other for around 50 years.

In the week that Marks & Spencer bosses revealed they were quitting their store in the town centre, the group spoke of the changes that they had seen over the years in the retail heart of Falkirk – and their comments weren’t favourable.

Mima Bell (80), nee Connal, said the lunch date in The Orchard Hotel had been organised after Irda Sherman (79), nee Allan, announced she was making what would be her last trip back to the area from Canada where she has lived for several decades.

Also meeting up were Anne Cameron (79), nee Wands, Janet Peat (76), nee Fisher, Sandra Gray (73), nee Robertson, and Irene Wright (78), nee Kirkwood.

Mima, of Slamannan, said: “We all used to work in the old Boots store, not the one that is there now. We were between what was Woolworths and Zuill & Stewart. Irda was the senior in the cosmetics department and when she moved to work in the Grangemouth store Anne Cameron took over.

“Anne was the one who continued to work in Boots the longest.

“I moved across the road to work in R Gordon Drummonds, now that was a quirky shop with the way it was laid out. We’ve all got great memories of our time working 
together.”

She said that Irda in particular had seen huge changes to the area on her return.

“It’s really quite sad how Falkirk looks now. It’s devastating all the changes to the High Street and surrounding streets.

“Irda is from Grangemouth and she said it was horrendous the way that town centre looks now.

“It’s certainly not the way we remember it from our 
days of working in both towns.”