Wilko is to shut the doors of its last remaining stores on Sunday, October 8, as the heartbreaking collapse of the historic retailer comes to an end.
The hardware and furnishings retailer tumbled into administration last month after it came under pressure from weak consumer spending and debts to suppliers. The retailer will shut its final 111 stores in early October as part of the final phase of closures, administrators for PwC said.
The Wilko brand will not disappear entirely from the UK high street after The Range agreed to buy Wilko’s brand, website and intellectual property, with plans to sell the acquired brand in its stores. Wilko was originally founded by James Kemsey Wilkinson in Leicester in 1930 and employed 12,500 workers before its collapse.
The following Yorkshire stores will shut on Sunday, October 8:
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Selby, North Yorkshire
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Parkgate, Rotherham, South Yorkshire
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Castleford, West Yorkshire
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Scarborough, North Yorkshire
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Crystal Peaks, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
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Sheffield, South Yorkshire
The Range now has the option to sell Wilko products within its own stores – but the agreement did not include physical sites. Administrators at PwC said they expect online operations to be running again at the beginning of October, and as part of the deal, 36 employees from the Wilko digital team have moved over to The Range.
Poundland has also announced it will take on the leases of up to 71 Wilko stores. The discount chain will be rebranding the sites as Poundland stores and will give existing Wilko staff “priority” for jobs once the transaction has been completed.
B&M confirmed earlier this month that it was to buy up to 51 stores in a deal worth £13m. These are expected to be rebranded as B&M. The chain has not confirmed which Wilko stores it will be buying and if it will save any jobs. PwC confirmed there were 3,200 employees at the stores being snapped up by both B&M and Poundland.
The following closures had already been announced by administrators, these stores will shut on Tuesday, October 3:
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Leeds Trinity, West Yorkshire
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Halifax, West Yorkshire
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Barnsley, South Yorkshire
The following stores will shut on Thursday, October 5:
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Birstall, West Yorkshire
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Clifton Moor, York, North Yorkshire
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St James Retail Park, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
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Frenchgate Shopping Centre, Doncaster, South Yorkshire
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