ADMINISTRATORS for Wilko have revealed the locations of 52 stores which will close as early as next week resulting in more than 1000 job losses.
The news comes after PwC, which was appointed to oversee the insolvency last month, failed to secure a rescue deal for the whole business.
PwC however said it remains in talks with parties interested in buying the remaining parts of the business.
It comes a day after rival retailer B&M bought up to 51 other Wilko stores in a deal worth up to £13 million.
Of the 52, two Scottish stores are set to close - Irvine and Clydebank - out of the 10 in Scotland.
Administrators added on Wednesday that “it is possible that further store closures may regrettably be necessary”, depending on talks with remaining suitors.
It is understood that HMV owner Doug Putman is still in discussions with PwC over a possible deal to save a significant number of stores.
The raft of closures next week will lead to 1016 redundancies, while the company has also announced hundreds of further job losses affecting warehouse and service centre staff.
Edward Williams, joint administrator, said: “In the absence of viable offers for the whole business, very sadly store closures and redundancies of team members from those stores are now necessary.
“The loss of these stores will be felt not only by the team members who served them with such dedication, including through the uncertainty of recent weeks, but also the communities which they have been a part of.”
Wilko stores closing
According to administrators PwC the following Wilko stores will be closing in the coming weeks:
Tuesday, September 12
- Acton
- Aldershot
- Barking
- Bishop Auckland
- Bletchley FF
- 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
Thursday, September 14
- Ashford
- Avonmeads
- Banbury
- Barrow in Furness
- Basildon
- Belle Vale
- Burnley (Relocation)
- 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
The retailer’s Burnley store will also close on Thursday, November 14, as part of a relocation.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here