All of Wilko’s 400 stores - including those in Coventry and Warwickshire - are set to close within weeks, according to the GMB union. It has said that it means that redundancies look likely for all 12,500 staff at the high-street chain.
The union has said it was informed of the development by administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) this morning, the Mirror has reported. The union says the closure of all 400 premises means redundancies are now "likely" for the entire 12,500 workforce by early October.
Administrators PwC has confirmed 1,016 redundancies at 52 shops across the country, with closures to take place tomorrow (Tuesday, September 12) and Thursday this week. Another 299 jobs are set to be lost at Wilko's two distribution centres in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, and Newport, Wales, which will close on Friday next week.
The news comes after a rescue deal involving the owner of HMV Doug Putman reportedly collapsed over the rising costs associated with taking on Wilko's infrastructure.
Where are all of the Wilko stores in Coventry and Warwickshire?
Coventry
- Cathedral Lane
- Cannon Park Shopping Centre
-
Warwickshire
- Church Street, Nuneaton
- Royal Priors, Leamington
- Station Road, Kenilworth
- The Rugby Centre, Rugby
A huge question mark hangs over the firm's plan to relocate its Nuneaton branch to Queens Road. It was due to move from Church Street into the former home of Woolworths this month after securing a deal with Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council. The council previously said that it .as in 'limbo' following the news that the national firm had gone into administration.
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