Fears of gaping holes along the high streets of wiltshire greeted the closure of Woolworths in January.

Now, eight months on there are signs, in some towns at least, that new businesses are ready to move in.

In Devizes work is under way to turn the shop into an Iceland frozen food store.

There was sadness among staff and customers of Woolworths when The Brittox branch closed on January 6 after 75 years.

But three days later it was announced that the premises were one of 50 Woolworths stores bought by Iceland.

The company traded in Monday Market Street for about 28 years then sold the site to Marks & Spencer, which opened a Simply Food store in 2006.

The new Iceland is due to open on October 15 and the company is recruiting 36 people to fill a range of jobs.

In Chippenham news that would-be entrepreneur David Day has launched a one-man campaign to re-open the former High Street Woolies has been welcomed .

The store, the largest in town, was said to be interesting the Primark group. The low-cost fashion chain later denied an interest.

Last week, Mr Day, 39, from Studley, announced he was drawing up a business plan similar to that of Claire Robertson, who re-opened the Dorchester branch, in Dorset, and renamed it Wellworths earlier this year.

Beth Ford, 18, who worked at the Chippenham store for a year until it closed, said she would be delighted to see the store re-open.

“I’m leaving to go to university, but I would love to be able to come back in the holidays and have a job to return to.

“Everyone got on so well at the old Woolies, it would be good to all be back together, although fortunately a lot of people have managed to get jobs in other shops in the town. I know a few people who haven’t been so lucky and they would love to have this opportunity.

“It would be really good for the town to have a new shop too – at the moment it seems so dead, people will just end up going elsewhere. Woolies left such a big hole.”

In Marlborough a cut-price Christmas shop is moving in, but Next are thought to be interested.

Tesco’s regional corporate affairs manager, Melanie Chiswell, told a meeting in the town hall last Monday that her company had looked at opening a Metro in the premises, but that “it had not been commercially viable”.

Pete Davison, president of Marlborough Chamber of Commerce, said: “It is certain that a pound shop is to open there, probably in October, and operate over the Christmas shopping period.

“After that, nothing is certain, but the strong rumour going around is that it is going to be Next.”

A Next spokesman could not confirm or deny the story.

Work has continued on the Heart of Calne town centre development, despite no businesses confirming an interest in the empty retail units.

A flagship Woolworth’s was due to open there.

The council remains optimistic about the site, but no deal has yet been struck with a retailer to move in to the empty shops.

Coun Alan Hill, chairman of the Calne Area Board, said: “About a fortnight or so ago there had been some enquiries, but I am not sure what stage they are at or who the interested parties were.

Mick Devonport, chairman of Calne Chamber of Commerce, said: “I know there has been some people who have shown an interest in the store and I have tried to find out who they are but I have had no luck."