Shoppers ‘proud’ as final 41 Wilko stores closing within hours

SHOPPERS have spoken of their pride as Wilko gears up to close its remaining 41 branches in the UK.

The discounter, which crashed into administration on August 10, has been shutting hundreds of stores since last month.

And shoppers will bid farewell as its last 41 shops close their doors for good tomorrow.

Locations in London, Liverpool and Cardiff will all be pulling down their shutters for the final time.

This is the full list:

• Neath, Neath Port Talbot
• Bromley, London
• Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire
• Cardiff, Wales
• Selby, North Yorkshire
• Arnold, Nottinghamshire
• Portsmouth, Hampshire
• Oswestry, Shropshire
• Chester, Cheshire
• Hucknall, Nottinghamshire
• Ayr, South Ayrshire
• Widnes, Cheshire
• Horsham, West Sussex
• Birkenhead, Merseyside
• Kingston Centre, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
• Parkgate, Rotherham, South Yorkshire
• Perry Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands
• Castleford, West Yorkshire
• Porthmadog, Caernarfonshire
• Brighouse, West Yorkshire
• Chelmsley Wood, West Midlands
• Swansea, Wales
• Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
• Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire
• Silverlink, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear
• Chesterfield, Derbyshire
• Sutton, Surrey
• Derby, Derbyshire
• Scarborough, North Yorkshire
• Crystal Peaks, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
• Plymouth, Devon
• Ely, Cambridgeshire
• Loughborough, Leicestershire
• Liverpool, Merseyside
• Stratford, London
• Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
• Coventry, West Midlands
• Sheffield, South Yorkshire
• Exeter, Devon
• Luton, Bedfordshire
• Wood Green, London

Shoppers have met the final closures with devastation but also pride as workers say their final goodbyes.

One customer said: "So proud of the Wilkinson family they have danced and sang (sic) in the last days.

"And at the same time their hearts must be breaking."

One further shopper said: "Wilko my favourite shopping place..will be missed."

Meanwhile, a third said: "I always loved looking round Wilko - another one bites the dust, such a shame."

And a fourth added: "Loved Wilko! Thoughts and prayers for all staff, managers."

Wilko has been shutting its branches in stages since September 12, when it started closing locations in Liverpool, Suffolk and Cardiff.

More closures followed on September 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26 and 28 and into October.

It comes after the retailer crashed into administration on August 10 after talks with a number of potential rescuers stalled.

A number of bids were put in to salvage some stores and jobs, including one from the billionaire owner of HMV, Doug Putman.

But his last gasp effort failed due to rising running costs.

Some of the empty Wilko units will be reopening though, including 51 locations snapped up by B&M as part of a £13million deal.

The majority of the new stores are expected to be rebranded under the discounter's name, it is understood.

Meanwhile, Poundland has bought out 71 Wilko locations with a view to opening them under its brand name.

A number of the stores are opening from today, including in Chepstow, Nottingham and South Wales.

Wilko administrators PwC last month also agreed the sale of the retailer's brand to The Range in a £5million deal.

It will see the Wilko website and brand name live on online despite its stores closing.

Now, a message on the Wilko website is promising customers that home delivery is "returning soon".

In other news, a discount brand name is disappearing from the high street forever after it was bought out by Home Bargains.

Plus, chocolate fans have been left fuming after Cadbury quietly axed a popular chocolate bar.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

You can also join our new Sun Money to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.