FORMER employees of Woolworth's in Farnham raised a glass to the bankrupt High Street chain when they met for a farewell drink at The Coach last Friday night.
The group of shop workers were described by their manager Rob Harvey as "a close knit group" who got on well together and worked hard, right up to the last day.
Most of the former workers are currently seeking employment, including Mr Harvey, who has a partner and 16-month-old daughter to support.
"We knew the company wasn't in a good position financially but we lived in hope that it would be taken over and we could keep our jobs," he said.
"We found out just before Christmas that we would be made redundant but it wasn't until the last day on the 6th until we were given the letter with the information about it. It's a bit of a shame in terms of the institution of Woolworth's and the way it will affect Farnham now that it has gone from the high street."
He said that the Farnham employees cared about their jobs and always worked hard. "We were a close knit group and I know how good they were compared to other stores because I went and looked after the Reading store for six weeks. The gap between the Reading team and the Farnham one was a chasm. All of the employees in Farnham wanted to put in the effort and cared about their work right up to the last minute."