Wilko, the beloved discount retailer, will be closing another 47 stores for good tomorrow, following the closure of stores in 37 locations yesterday. These closures are part of a larger plan that will ultimately see all 400 Wilko stores closing down forever in early October.
More store closures planned
In addition to the stores closing tomorrow, administrators have announced that 111 more stores will be serving customers for the last time next week. This news comes after Wilko fell into administration on August 10 and failed to secure backing to keep the company afloat.
New opportunities for employees
Despite the closure of the stores, Wilko employees have received a glimmer of hope. Poundland, another discount retailer, has acquired up to 71 Wilko stores and has stated that Wilko workers will be given priority for new employment opportunities. These stores will be rebranded and ready for business just in time for the Christmas trading season.
Loss of thousands of jobs
The closure of all Wilko stores will result in thousands of employees being made redundant. Although administrators have managed to sell the retailer's brand name and website to The Range, the physical shops will soon disappear from the high street entirely.
Full list of Wilko stores closing tomorrow:
- Allestree
- Andover
- Bedford
- Beeston
- Bicester
- Bloxwich
- Bolton
- Bordon
- Bransholme
- Bridgend, Bury
- Carlton
- Clacton on Sea
- Cramlington
- Crewe
- Cwmbran
- Cyfarthfa
- Denton
- Driffield
- Droitwich
- Edmonton Green
- Farnborough
- Fort Kinnaird
- Fulham
- Gateshead
- Gorleston
- Grays
- Greenock
- Havant
- Hereford
- Hillsborough
- Holyhead
- Newton Aycliffe
- Northampton
- Orton
- Parc Trostre Llanelli
- Penge
- Peterlee
- Pwllheli
- Shrewsbury
- Slough
- Swindon
- Tamworth Retail Park
- Taunton
- Walton on Thames
- Wheatley Retail Park
- Wigan
- Wolverhampton
Upcoming closures
After the closure of these 47 stores, Wilko is set to close an additional 37 stores on Monday, September 25, followed by another 37 stores on Wednesday, September 27. Finally, 37 more stores will shut down for good on Friday, September 29. The timings for the closure of the remaining stores will be announced by PwC administrators in due course.
Wilko staff have also issued an urgent plea to shoppers before the final closure, urging them to take advantage of the store's remaining days of operation.
In other news, a major supermarket has revealed that it is considering taking over some of the Wilko sites as part of its own expansion plans.
