Wilko staff issue urgent plea to shoppers ahead of closing for good
WILKO staff have issued an urgent plea to shoppers before it shuts its doors for good.
The branch in Clifton Moor, York has put up a notice board to anyone coming into the store.
It has asked shoppers to refrain from asking employees when the shop will close for good.
It said: “We don’t yet have a closing date. As soon as we do, we will let our customers know.
“Please refrain from asking staff as this is a very difficult time for our team members.
“For over 90 years we’ve been serving our customers and our loyal team members have always been our greatest asset.
“Thank you for shopping at Wilko.”
Wilko was founded in 1930 and the chain has remained in the ownership of the founding family since then.
The founder’s son, Tony Wilkinson, joined the company as a branch manager in 1960 before succeeding his father as chairman in 1972.
In June 2005 he was succeeded by his daughter Lisa Wilkinson and his niece Karin Swann.
The retailer collapsed on August 10 and since then, several stores have already shut their doors with more to follow.
All 400 of its stores will have closed for good by the end of October.
This week, the collapsed chain closed 52 sites meaning more than 1,000 job losses for its staff.
Another 124 stores are set to close next week in three rounds of closures on September 17, 19 and 21.
Here’s the full list of stores closing tomorrow (Sunday, September 17):
- Accrington
- Ashington
- Blackwood
- Bognor Regis
- Bradford
- Bury St Edmunds
- Coalville
- Crawley
- Droylsden
- Ellesmere Port
- Falkirk
- Ferndown
- Hanley
- Humberstone
- Huyton
- Kensington High Street
- Kings Heath
- Lakeside
- Leigh
- Letchworth
- Maidenhead
- Market Harborough
- Melton Mowbray
- Newport
- Orpington
- Pontefract
- Pontypool
- Redruth
- Rugeley
- Shirley
- Southport
- Sovereign Harbour
- Torquay
- Wimbledon
- Wombwell
- Woodhouse Lane – Leeds
- Worcester
- Workington
Administrators confirmed on Friday (September 15) they have agreed the sale of the retailer’s brand name to The Range in a £5million deal.
The deal will see the Wilko website reopen after all shops shut for good, and the brand name will also live on.
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