Achi news desk-
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The GMB reports that all 400 branches of struggling retailer Wilko are expected to close by early October, displacing all 12,500 workers associated with the chain. probably.
On Monday morning, PwC administrators relayed the news to the union, confirming the developing situation. As a result, the GMB now claims that the likelihood of all Wilko workers facing redundancy has increased.
This development follows an earlier report by Sky News, which revealed the failure of a rescue deal involving the owner of HMV.
PwC chose not to comment on the matter.
Wilko, a brand that has been owned by the Wilkinson family for many decades, went into administration last month. Nadine Houghton, national officer of GMB, described the development as the “final blow” for the discount homewares brand.
He said: “Wilko was much more than a brand, a retailer or the product it sold, it was the thousands of loyal team members who now face an uncertain future.
“Wilko may have stopped being a family brand many years ago, but the staff kept Wilko’s true family ethos alive to the end. The family that Wilko’s colleagues made for themselves will be missed the most.”
He added: “This is not a tragedy without cause. Wilko should have thrived in an otherwise strong bargain retail sector, but was run into the ground by the business owners…. No employee caused Wilko’s downfall.
“But they will be the ones who suffer – all while the owners get off the street scot-free. GMB will not stop campaigning for the owners of this mess to be brought to account.”
B&M European Value Retail has already secured an agreement to acquire 51 Wilko stores, with plans to rebrand them. The fate of Wilko staff at these branches remains uncertain, as it is not clear whether the discount chain will retain or re-employ any of them.
Earlier, PwC had revealed around 1,600 redundancies and confirmed the closure of 52 stores this week. Their efforts to find a buyer for these branches have been unsuccessful.
The following stores will be closed on Tuesday 12 September:
Acton
Aldershot
Barking
Bishop of 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
The following stores will be closed on Thursday 14 September:
Ashford
Avonmeads
Banbury
Barrow in Furness
Basildon
A beautiful village
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
Voxing
