THE administrator of the retailer chain Wilko is to close 52 stores and make more than 1,300 staff redundant as talks continue with potential buyers for the remainder of the business.
 
24 branches will shut on Tuesday followed by a further 28 stores 2 days later. But 51 stores have been saved after being sold to rival B&M. B&M has agreed a £13m deal for up to 51 of Wilko's buildings, but the fate of the brand and a further 300 stores remain uncertain. A bigger rescue package put forward by HMV's Doug Putman understood to have been held up due to funding issues.
 
Some retailers such as Dunelm and Toolstation have urged Wilko employees to apply for roles.
 
The following stores will close on 12 September 2023:-
 
    Acton
    Aldershot
    Barking
    Bishop Auckland
    Bletchley
    Brownhills
    Camberley
    Cardiff Bay Retail Park
    Falmouth
    Harpurhey
    Irvine
    Liverpool Edge Lane
    Llandudno
    Lowestoft
    Morley
    Nelson
    Port Talbot
    Putney
    Stafford
    Tunbridge Wells
    Wakefield
    Weston-super-Mare
    Westwood Cross
    Winsford
 
The following stores will close on 14 September 2023-
 
    Ashford
    Avonmeads
    Banbury
    Barrow in Furness
    Basildon, Belle Vale
    Burnley
    Clydebank
    Cortonwood
    Dagenham
    Dewsbury
    Eccles
    Folkestone
    Great Yarmouth
    Hammersmith
    Huddersfield
    Morriston
    New Malden
    North Shields
    Queen Street Cardiff
    Rhyl
    Southampton-West Quay
    St Austell
    Stockport
    Truro
    Uttoxeter
    Walsall
    Woking
 
Administrators PwC issued a statement saying:- "We are actively in discussions with other parties interested in buying parts of the business." PwC have added that they were:- "committed to preserving as many jobs as possible."
 
But the PwC has warned that it was possible that:- "further store closures may regrettably be necessary."
 
Are you affected by these closures? Email us at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com and let us know your thoughts on this news.