UPDATE TO THIS STORY – Droitwich Wilko set to become a Poundland
DROITWICH’s Wilko will close its doors for the final time next Thursday, September 21, administrators PwC have revealed.
After closing to customers, the St Andrew’s Square store’s staff have been told their last day of employment will be next Friday (September 21).
Droitwich’s store is among 124 which will close in the coming days after a rescue deal for the ailing retailer collapsed.
The billionaire owner of HMV, Doug Putman, hoped to keep up to 300 Wilko shops open, but his bid failed as rising costs complicated the deal.
Other Wilko stores
Worcester’s Wilko will close this Sunday, September 17, with the staff’s last day being next Tuesday, September 19.
There is no date yet for the closure of stores in nearby Redditch or in Northfield.
Zelf Hussain, joint administrator, said: “Despite the significant and intensive efforts of both ourselves and Putman Investments – the remaining party interested in buying a significant part of the business as a going concern – a transaction could not be progressed due to the inability to reduce central infrastructure costs quickly enough to make a deal commercially viable.
“The dedication shown by all team members during this period has been hugely humbling and we are grateful for the patience and understanding they have shown.
”As with those who have already been given notice of redundancy, we will guide and support those team members impacted over the coming weeks through the redundancy claims process.
“We also continue to collaborate closely with relevant agencies and engage with any potential employers to help facilitate a quick return into new employment for those impacted.
“We continue to work with potential buyers for different parts of the business and are confident of completing transactions in the coming days.”
