▁these ▁towns ▁led ▁to ▁both ▁stores ▁being ▁closed ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁some ▁two ▁months ▁before ▁the ▁Mer ry ▁Hill ▁store ▁opened . ▁A ▁similar ▁situation ▁had ▁ar isen ▁with ▁British ▁Home ▁St ores , ▁who ▁had ▁opened ▁a ▁store ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁phase ▁of ▁the ▁complex ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁but ▁continued ▁to ▁trade ▁from ▁its ▁D ud ley ▁store ; ▁however ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁Mer ry ▁Hill ▁store ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁sharp ▁decl ine ▁in ▁trade ▁from ▁the ▁D ud ley ▁store , ▁and ▁the ▁decision ▁to ▁close ▁this ▁store ▁had ▁been ▁taken ▁by ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁with ▁the ▁store ▁finally ▁closing ▁June ▁of ▁that ▁year . ▁ ▁Tw elve ▁months ▁after ▁opening , ▁the ▁Mark s ▁& ▁Sp encer ▁store ▁expanded ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁level ▁into ▁a ▁neighbour ing ▁unit . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁late - 1 9 9 0 s , ▁Mark s ▁& ▁Sp encer ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁le ase ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁Little wood s ▁store ▁and ▁converted ▁into ▁a ▁furn iture ▁and ▁mens we ar ▁store . ▁The ▁Little wood s ▁store ▁had ▁expanded ▁some ▁years ▁earlier , ▁taking ▁in ▁a ▁former ▁W ool worth s ▁store ▁on ▁the ▁upper ▁level ; ▁there ▁had ▁been ▁fear s ▁that ▁W ool worth s ▁would ▁close ▁at ▁least ▁some ▁of ▁their ▁branches ▁in ▁nearby ▁towns ▁when ▁the ▁Mer ry ▁Hill ▁store ▁opened , ▁but ▁trade ▁from ▁the ▁W ool worth s