Fulham Wilko Store to Close This Thursday
Hopes of a reprieve gone as name disappears from the nation's high streets
The Wilko store at Fulham Broadway
September 18, 2023
It has now been confirmed that the Wilko store on Fulham Broadway will close its doors on Thursday (21 September).
Last week the staff in the local store were sad at its imminent demise and said that nobody had briefed them on what the future might hold. They blamed shareholder greed for the chain having to go into liquidation.
What happens to the unit is unclear but at other locations discount retailer, such as Poundland or B&M, have already announced that they will be taking over some former Wilko stores by acquiring the lease from the administrator.
Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC), said that it has been unable to find a buyer for most of the outlets.
In a deal with PepCo, the owner of Poundland, the leases of 71 stores have been acquired including the West Ealing branch. Poundland has confirmed that the stores are to be converted to its brand with many of the existing staff being rehired.
Around 20 other stores in London are due to close and this could result in over 1,000 job losses in the capital.
Wilko was founded in 1930 and by the 1990s became one of Britain's fastest-growing retailers with many shoppers seeing as filling the gap left by the closure but fell into administration in August as it struggled with rising costs and a cash shortage. The discount chain has faced strong competition from competitors including B&M, Poundland and Home Bargains, as the high cost of living has pushed shoppers to seek out the lowest prices.
Before Wilko went into liquidation it employed 12,500 people in 400 stores across the country.
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