Staff and shoppers at Kent's Woolworths stores have less than three full weeks left before the shops close.

The administrator has announced that all 807 UK outlets will close by January 5, with the loss of more than 27,000 jobs.

Deloitte says it has received bids for around 300 stores.

A quarter will close for the final time on December 27, with the remaining 600 to cease trading on or before January 5.

The shopkeepers' union Usdaw said staff at Woolies' branches in Kent would be notified of planned closure dates later this week.

John Gorle, national officer, said: "We're shocked and deeply disappointed by the news that no buyer has yet been found for Woolworths.

"Redundancy is devastating at any time of the year, but particularly so at Christmas."

Woolworths, a legendary shopping name since 1909 when it opened its first store in Liverpool, operates at least 10 stores in Kent and Medway, including Chatham, Gillingham, Herne Bay, Faversham, Tenterden, Canterbury, Whitstable, Gillingham, Maidstone and Sittingbourne.

The company, which also owns EUK, a distributor of CDs and DVDs, has been squeezed by the credit crunch and retail downturn. It has debts of £385m owed to investors GMAC and Burdale and the banking crisis has added to Woolworths troubles.