Shopping

Wilko confirms full list of 52 stores to close next week – including three in Greater Manchester

It's the end of the road for dozens of branches across the UK.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 7th September 2023

The full list of 52 Wilko stores set to close next week has been confirmed by administrators after failing to secure a rescue deal.

After PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) was appointed to oversee the insolvency of the beloved British bargain retailer earlier last month month, it was confirmed on Tuesday this week that rival retailer B&M had bought 51 Wilko stores in a deal said to be worth up to £13 million, while those at the administration company continued on in talks with several other parties who are interested in buying the remaining parts of the business.

But sadly, in the meantime while those talks are ongoing, it’s the end of the road for dozens of Wilko stores right across the UK – including several major outlets in Greater Manchester.

A total of 52 Wilko branches nationwide will close their doors for good next week.

The staff members working at the affected stores will unfortunately be made redundant, and on top of that, administrators have even added that it’s possible “further store closures may regrettably be necessary”, all depending on how talks with remaining suitors pan out.

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Stores will close over two days next week on Tuesday 12 and Thursday 14 September, with the closing Greater Manchester locations confirmed to be Harpurhey, Eccles, and Stockport.

The Wilko stores closing on Tuesday 12 September:

  • 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

“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,” explained Edward Williams, who is the Joint Administrator at PwC.

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“The loss of these stores will be felt not only by the team members, who served them with such dedication, but also the communities which they have been a part of.”

Wilko has confirmed the full list of 52 stores to close next week / Credit: Wilko

The Wilko stores closing on Thursday 14 September:

  • 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

As a last-minute buyer could not be found, it’s expected that all of Wilko’s 400 units nationwide will eventually be taken over by other outlets.

Roughly 12,500 jobs within the business are said on the line.

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B&M has bought 51 Wilko stores in a deal worth up to £13 million / Credit: Greg Macvean (via B&M) | Manchester Arndale

While various other bargain retail brands such as Poundland, Home Bargains, and The Range are also looking to take over some of the other spaces that Wilko vacates, B&M’s £13 million deal earlier this week means it is set to become the first company to pick up the pieces and aid their own expansion around the UK.

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Meanwhile, companies like Aldi are taking a different approach, and telling those Wilko staff facing the chop to get in touch about potential new employment.

Featured Image – Wilko

Shopping

Trafford Centre begins months-long refurb of its iconic The Orient foodhall

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A new era for The Orient is on the horizon, as the Trafford Centre has begun its months-long refresh of its iconic foodhall.

Forming part of its ongoing commitment to ‘enhancing the visitor experience’, the Trafford Centre is investing in a major refresh of seating and customer facilities within The Orient – creating a more vibrant and welcoming environment for guests to eat, meet and relax.

Works are now underway and will be delivered in phases over the coming months.

Improvements are being carried out in phases to minimise disruption to shoppers, while creating a more comfortable and contemporary dining environment at the same time.

The refreshed area will increase seating capacity by more than 60%, introducing a range of new seating styles in the process – including banquettes, family-friendly tables, accessible seating for guests with mobility requirements, and dedicated areas equipped with phone and laptop charging facilities.

The Trafford Centre begins months-long refurb of its iconic The Orient foodhall / Credit: The Manc Group

Inspired by The Orient’s longstanding maritime heritage, the design takes cues from a contemporary cruise liner, and the space will also feature upgraded furniture and enhanced lighting, alongside flexible areas designed to encourage visitors to spend more time in there.

There’ll also be modern furnishings and a ‘refreshed’ colour palette to create a brighter and welcoming environment.

“The Orient is one of the most popular destinations within Trafford Centre, welcoming millions of visitors each year,” a Trafford Centre spokesperson said on the refurb.

“This investment reflects our commitment to continually improving the experience for our guests, creating a more modern, comfortable and social environment where visitors can meet, dine and spend time together.

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“The improvements will not only significantly increase seating capacity but also deliver a much more flexible and accessible space for all visitors to enjoy.”

Featured Image – The Manc Group

Shopping

Home Bargains has announced a special two-day closure of all UK stores

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Home Bargains has, once again, announced it’ll be closing all its UK stores on both Boxing Day and New Year’s Day this year.

And it’s to make sure staff get a ‘well deserved break’.

After what has been yet another busy year for the retail industry, many workers have been left feeling like they could do with a little extra time off, which is why Home Bargains is following on with what has become a now-annual tradition by shutting up shop on two bank holidays.

All of our stores will be closing for Boxing Day & New Years Day.

Announcing the move in a post on social media, the discount retailer confirmed: “All of our stores will be closing for Boxing Day and New Years Day. We would like to thank all our colleagues for how hard you have worked this past year, and want you to relax and enjoy the Christmas break with your loved ones.”

Of course, this isn’t the first time the retailer has kept its doors shut on bank holidays.

Many shoppers will recall it has made the same decision to give hardworking staff a break every year since 2019.

Explaining a little more about the decision taken to close all its stores, Home Bargains said: “As a family-run business, we know the importance of being together at Christmas with those we care about most, now more than ever.

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“This is our way of saying thank you to our colleagues for their continued hard work and dedication.”

Featured Image – Geograph

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