After weeks of uncertainty, discount store B&M struck a deal to buy up to 51 Wilko stores for a price of £13 million. This deal doesn’t necessarily save any jobs: it will just see B&M take over retail spots.
Another takeover deal also succeeded: Pepco group, which also owns Poundland, announced that it will take on the leases of 71 Wilkos. The company is expected to turn these sites into new Poundland outlets.
Last week, homeware retail chain The Range bought the Wilko brand for a deal reported to be around £5 million. This means that The Range now owns the intellectual property rights to Wilko, but won’t take over any of its branches.
Other takeover deals have failed. Canadian entrepreneur Doug Putman – the guy behind HMV’s recent resurgence in the UK – was apparently working on a deal to save 300 of Wilko’s 400 stores and 12,000 jobs, though this fell through.
Now that these other takeover deals have all failed, all Wilko stores in the UK are set to close.
For now, many Wilko stores are still welcoming customers – but they’re unlikely to stay open for much longer. Nearly all stores have already been slated to close over the next two weeks and the rest are likely to close in early October.
The ‘Wilko Administration Sale’ began several weeks ago at branches of the store across the country. Thousands of items are apparently available at even cheaper prices than before, though online home delivery and click and collect services have been halted. A ‘secondary’ sale also offers deals on stationery, plants, gardening tools, Christmas goods and home, kitchen and DIY items.
The Gainsborough store in Marshall’s Yard is set to close its doors on 29 September 2023 after its opening was announced in 2006 by Dransfield.
Leave a Reply