Wilko staff have been left devastated after being told the Kidderminster store will close for the final time next week.
Workers at the town centre branch were told on Monday (September 18) the store would be shutting for good next Tuesday (September 26) and all employees were being made redundant.
One staff member who wanted to remain anonymous said: “I’m absolutely devastated. There’s going to be a lot of tears on the last day, but I still can’t believe it’s happening.
“I truly believe that this isn’t just a loss to the staff, it’s a loss to the whole of Kidderminster.”
Staff said the store had its final delivery last Thursday with more sales expected in the coming days as they try to sell off the remaining stock.
Another worker added: “It’s going to be such a sad day when the store closes its doors for the final time. Most of us here have been with the company for over a decade.
“It’s such a shame that it’s come to this, but each one of us can leave with our heads held high.”
The news comes as 85 shops closed for good this week across the UK with 111 more stores shutting next week and the remaining stores all set to close by early October.
The Kidderminster branch is amongst 37 stores including Halesowen closing after trading on Tuesday (September 26) with another 37 stores shutting on Sunday (September 24) and a further 37 shops, including the Dudley branch, closing on Thursday (September 28).
A spokesperson for the administrators, PwC, said: “There are 26 employees at the Kidderminster store and the redundancy is effective the day after the store closure.
“The administrators’ dedicated employee team will continue to help provide support, including assisting in the statutory redundancy claims process and ensuring the dedicated employee helpline remains in place to address any employee queries. Company support systems with access to further advice and resources will remain active.
“The administrators continue to liaise closely with the government, agencies, unions and large employers to help create avenues to further employment opportunities for staff, with the aim of helping team members quickly return to employment. This includes any and all transactions that may lead to stores opening quickly under other brands as a platform for future employment.”
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