HUNDREDS of Wilko stores are at risk of closing as the retailer collapsed.
The discount chain has announced it has taken ‘the difficult decision’ to enter administration.
AlamyHundreds of Wilko stores are at risk of closing as the retailer has collapsed[/caption]
The news comes just a week after Wilko revealed it was looking to appoint administrators.
Wilko’s board has now appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) after talks with a number of potential rescuers stalled.
That means PwC now has full control of the business.
So far, chain bosses haven’t revealed what will happen to all 400 shops and staff.
All sites will continue to operate as normal for now until an update is announced.
Although the Wilko has now stopped processing all online deliveries and shoppers are limited to click and collect orders instead.
Wilko has 400 shops across the whole of the UK and employs around 12,000 people in total.
The company announced plans to close over a dozen of its shops in January last year.
Then in February 2023, it revealed it planned to cut over 400 jobs, including both store and head office roles.
Most recently in May, the discount chain was looking at restructuring options and approached financial advisors.
It was said to be considering entering a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) which is a form of insolvency.
Wilko, like many other high street retailers, is said to have seen a big drop in footfall and has “stopped performing to its full potential”.
Brick and mortar shops have struggled in recent months due to shopping habits turning more to online retail.
Numerous high street brands have collapsed into administration in the last 12 months.
Both M&Co and Joules are among the well-known brands which went bust in 2022.
Paperchase then collapsed into administration at the end of January this year and all 106 stores later closed for good.
It’s not just shops either, major burger chain Byron Burger also fell into administration and closed nine restaurants immediately in January.
Further chains have also closed shops in recent months, with dozens closing just this month.
Here is the full list of towns and cities with Wilko shops in the UK:
AberdareAbergavennyAccringtonAcocks GreenActonAldershotAlfretonAlnwickAltrinchamAmmanfordAndoverArnoldAshfordAshingtonAshton-Under-LyneAylesburyAyrBanburyBarkingBarnsley (3 stores)BarnstapleBarrow In FurnessBarryBasildonBasingstokeBedford (2)BedminsterBelperBeverleyBexleyheathBicesterBiggleswadeBirkenheadBirmingham (3)Bishop AucklandBishops StortfordBlackburnBlackpoolBlackwoodBletchleyBlythBognor RegisBolton (2)BordonBostonBournemouth (2)BradfordBrentwoodBridgendBridgwaterBriggBrighouseBristol (3)BromleyBrownhillsBurgess HillBurnleyBurton Upon TrentBuryBury St EdmundsCamberleyCambridgeCanterburyCardiff (3)CarlisleCarmarthenCastle DouglasChathamChelmsfordCheltenhamChepstowChesterChester Le StreetChesterfieldChippenhamClacton On SeaCleethorpesCleveleysClowneClydebankCoalvilleCockermouthColchesterCorbyCoventry (2)CowleyCramlingtonCrawleyCreweCwmbranDagenhamDarlingtonDartfordDentonDerby (3)DerehamDevizesDewsburyDidcotDoncaster (2)DriffieldDroitwichDudleyDunstableDurhamEast HamEastbourne (2)EcclesEdinburghEllesmere PortElyEpsomExeterFalkirkFalmouthFarehamFarnboroughFerndownFolkestoneGainsboroughGateshead (2)GillinghamGloucesterGravesendGrays (2)Great MalvernGreat Yarmouth (2)GreenockGreenwichGrimsby (2)HalesowenHalifaxHamiltonHanleyHarlowHarrowHartlepoolHavantHaverfordwestHayesHemel HempsteadHerefordHigh WycombeHinckleyHitchinHolyheadHorshamHounslowHucknallHuddersfieldHull (2)HuntingdonHuytonIlfordIlkestonIpswichIrvineJarrowKenilworthKent (2)KetteringKidderminsterKings LynnKingston Upon ThamesKingston Upon HullKingswoodKnowleLancasterLeamington SpaLeeds (7)LeekLeicester (5)LeighLeighton BuzzardLetchworthLewishamLichfieldLincolnLiverpool (3)LivingstonLlandudnoLlanelliLondon (9)Long EatonLoughboroughLouthLowestoftLutonMaidenheadMaidstoneManchester (4)MansfieldMarket DraytonMarket HarboroughMatlockMelton MowbrayMerthyr TydfilMiddlesbroughMiddlesexMildenhallMilton KeynesMorristonMotherwellNeathNelsonNewarkNewburyNewcastleNewcastle Under LymeNewcastle Upon Tyne (3)NewportNewton AbbotNewton AycliffeNewton-Le-WillowsNorth ShieldsNorthallertonNorthampton (3)NorthfieldNorwichNottingham (9)NuneatonOakhamOrpingtonOswestryPembroke DockPengePerry BarrPeterborough (2)PeterleePlymouthPontefractPontypoolPoolePort TalbotPorthmadogPortsmouthPreston (2)PwllheliRainhamRamsgateReadingRedcarRedditchRedhillRedruthRetfordRhylRipleyRomfordRotherhamRowley RegisRoyal Kingston Upon ThamesRugbyRugeleyRuncornRushdenSaleSalfordScarboroughScunthorpeSeahamSelbySheffield (6)ShipleyShirleyShrewsburySittingbourneSkegnessSkelmersdaleSloughSolihullSouth ShieldsSouthamptonSouthend On SeaSouthportSpaldingSt AlbansSt AustellSt HelensStaffordStamfordStevenageStockportStockton On TeesStoke-On-TrentStourbridgeStratfordStroodStroudSunderlandSuttonSutton-In-AshfieldSwanleySwanseaSwindon (2)Tamworth (2)TauntonTelford (2)ThetfordTiptonTorquayTrowbridgeTruroUttoxeterUxbridgeWakefield (2)WallaseyWalsall (2)WalthamstowWalton On ThamesWarringtonWashingtonWaterloovilleWatfordWellingboroughWembleyWest DraytonWest EalingWeston-Super-MareWeymouthWhitehavenWidnesWiganWimbledonWinsfordWokingWolverhamptonWood GreenWoolwichWorcesterWorkingtonWorksop (2)WorthingWrexhamWythenshaweYeovilYork
Meanwhile, The Sun has put together a handy guide to all the shops closing down in August.
And for more information on Wilko going into administration and what it means, see our full story.
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