Wilko’s administrator has published a list of 52 stores that will close starting the week of 12 September after attempts to find a buyer for the outlets not wanted by B&M European Value Retail SA (LSE:BME) stalled.
Discount chain B&M announced yesterday it had agreed to buy 51 of the group’s 400 stores, though a deal with the owner of HMV for 300 shops has reportedly run into problems due to funding and supply issues.
Around 1,300 staff will lose their jobs at the stores that are to close, said administrator PwC, though it added it is actively looking to find buyers for the remaining outlets.
Joint administrator Edward Williams said: “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, in addition to the already announced redundancies at the support centre and distribution centres."
HMV-owner Doug Putman is still said to be interested in 200 stores, though Sky News reported that his financier Gordon Brothers might be going cold on the deal.
Leicester-based Wilko went into administration last month after battling unsuccessfully against online competitors and the growth of rivals such as B&M.
In a statement, PwC said the following stores will on 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
And these 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