Wilko: Shoppers 'devastated' over store's future as administration looms
Around 12,000 jobs are at risk after Wilko filed its 'notice of intention'
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Wilko shoppers have been left 'devastated' and 'shocked' after it confirmed it was on the brink of entering administration.
The bargain retailer’s decision to file its “notice of intention” to the High Court put 400 shops and 12,000 jobs at risk.
The store giant said on Thursday it was planning to appoint administrators after failing to find sufficient emergency investment.
Following the "shocking" news, customer have shared their disappointment if the store was to close.
Speaking to GB News, Jonathan Withers, 53 from Wolverhampton said: "We use Wilkos regularly, every week we call in.
"Just to get various bits and pieces, so the announcement was shocking. It's not going to help the high street at all, now you get a decent shop and it just disappears.
"You always get good prices in Wilkos and now with cost of living, it's just a shame. I will miss it if it goes."
Wilko, which was founded in Leicester in 1930, was exploring the sale of a controlling stake just last month.
It previously announced plans to close more than a dozen stores in January last year.
Another shopper said she would be "very sad" to see the bargain retailer disappear from the high street.
"I love Wilkos, it's just very, very sad. You can get things in there that you can't get anywhere else. They have been around for years so I would be gutted to see it go."
Wilko’s CEO confirmed the retailer was struggling to find a buyer which provided the "necessary liquidty".
He also stressed the staple high street store had no other option.
Reena Bains, 42, compared the situation to the one which Woolworths faced in 2009.
She said: "I will be really gutted if it closes down, they do lovely garden stuff that I always buy and Wilkos is reasonably priced.
"It's a great convenient store that I've been shopping at for years in town and it'll just be like Woolworths all over again if they all close - it would be devastating.
"Eventually they'll be no stores left in Wolverhampton but Poundland and Primark.
Calvin Jameson, 32, added: "There isn't going to be any shops left on the high street soon.
"Everyone is struggling and you can get some bargains in Wilkos.
"It's the kind of shop you can get everything in.
"I can't believe it might just disappear, it's shocking."
