Sad day as massive Wilko store in Northampton town centre closes its doors for good

A longstanding Wilko shop in Northampton town centre has closed its doors for the last time today (Thursday, September 21).

Wilko in Gold Street has sadly closed its shutters for the final time after the company went into administration in August, leaving a massive hole in one of the town’s busiest streets.

Chron and Echo visited the store this afternoon and saw the shelves were absolutely bare following weeks of closing down sales.

Employees at both Gold Street and Weston Favell told this newspaper they have been instructed not to talk to the press.

All three Wilko stores in Northampton – Gold Street, Riverside, and Weston Favell – have signs in their windows advertising ‘administration sales’ with items selling at huge discount prices.

Latest Wilko news

Wilko fell into administration in August after grappling with sharp losses and a cash shortage.

The Range has struck a £5m deal to buy the Wilko brand after a rescue bid for the wider business collapsed. It means The Range will own Wilko’s website and may choose to stock some of its products across its 210 UK stores.

It is understood that 36 Wilko staff have transferred over to The Range, which expects online operations to restart next month. But the the deal will not prevent Wilko shops disappearing from the UK high street and nearly all of the company’s 12,500 staff will lose their jobs.

After administrators were unable to find a buyer for the whole business, Wilko’s rivals have been snapping up parts of the company. On Tuesday (September 12), the owner of Poundland agreed a deal to take on the leases of “up to” 71 Wilko shops, which will reopen under its own brand – none of which included Northamptonshire.

Another rival retailer B&M has also agreed to buy 51 of Wilko’s shops – including the Northamptonshire ones – in a £13m deal. It means some staff could be re-employed in these stores as a result.

Jane Steer, one of the PwC administrators, said Wilko “remains a much loved and trusted brand within the UK”, adding that deal with The Range means “the Wilko name lives on”. The firm’s chief executive, Alex Simpkin, said The Range was “delighted” to have bought the Wilko brand, which “comes at a time when consumers are more than ever wanting to shop with confidence for value and quality”.