Poundland to take over as much as 71 Wilko shops

A deal has been struck for the house owners of Poundland to take over the leases of as much as 71 Wilko shops.

The Pepco Group will rebrand the branches beneath the Poundland title, directors PwC mentioned.

In an announcement, Poundland mentioned it will give precedence to Wilko staff when hiring new employees for the retailers.

It comes after the low cost homeware chain – owned by the founding Wilkinson household for many years – went into administration last month, putting 12,500 jobs at risk.

While the deal consists of “up to” 71 Wilko retailers, a spokesman mentioned the ultimate whole would rely on talks with the landlords of every website to agree lease phrases.

Hopes that each one of Wilko’s 400 branches could possibly be saved have been seemingly dashed earlier this week when a rescue deal involving the owner of HMV collapsed.

The growth prompted PwC to announce on Monday night that each one Wilko shops will shut down, with 9,100 employees made redundant, by early October.

Fellow low cost retailer B&M has already signed a deal to snap up 51 Wilko stores, however it’s unclear if employees at these branches will likely be stored on or rehired.

The 122 websites included within the agreements with Pepco and B&M make use of greater than 3,200 employees in whole.

Joint administrator Edward Williams mentioned: “Alongside the previously announced agreement with B&M, we’re confident this sale will create a platform for future employment opportunities for people including current Wilko team members at up to 122 locations.

“We will proceed to interact with different retailers round any curiosity in different Wilko websites and are assured of finishing a sale of the model and mental property throughout the coming days.”

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A spokesman for Poundland mentioned the shops within the deal have been principally in areas the place it presently has a “restricted presence”.

He added: “The lease assignments are anticipated to be accomplished in early Autumn, enabling these shops to hitch Poundland’s present 800-plus UK property and open within the necessary fourth calendar quarter of 2023.”

Poundland managing director Barry Williams said: “In the approaching weeks we are going to work rapidly with landlords so we will open these shops as Poundlands with the brand new ranges which have been pivotal to our latest growth.

“And once that process is complete, we will ensure a significant number of the Wilko colleagues will join our Poundland team.”

He added: “The Wilko stores will accelerate our existing transformation programme, offering amazing value for consumers, providing growth opportunities for suppliers and supporting employment in the high streets, shopping centres and retail parks customers love.”

The announcement comes on the final day of trading at 24 Wilko stores, within the first section of the chain’s mass closures. Another 28 retailers will shut on the finish of the day on Thursday.

The 93-year-old retailer, which was based in 1930 in Leicester, collapsed after being hit arduous by inflationary pressures, competitors from rivals and provide chain challenges.

The areas of the branches acquired by B&M are but to be revealed as a result of they’re topic to a confidentiality settlement, the directors mentioned.

PwC mentioned the 71 shops within the take care of Pepco embrace the next branches:

Aberdare

Alfreton

Alnwick

Altrincham

Ammanford

Ashby

Barking

Bedminster

Beeston

Bicester

Bishop Stortford

Bletchley

Bolton

Brentwood

Brigg

Cambridge

Chepstow

Coalville

Cramlington

Droitwich

Eccles

Edmonton Green

Ellesmere Port

Ferndown

Gateshead

Grays

Greenock

Grimsby

Havant

Hayes

Headingley

Hessle Road – Hull

Hillsborough

Hitchin

Jarrow

Killingworth

Kimberley

Lee Circle

Leek

Leigh

Lichfield

Maidenhead

Matlock

Melton Mowbray

Nelson

Northallerton

Orton

Pembroke Dock

Peterlee

Pontefract

Pontypool

Redhill

Redruth

Ripley

Rugeley

Sale

Seaham

Selly Oak

Shrewsbury Darwin Centre

South Shields

Southport

Stafford

Stamford

Stockport

Thornaby

Wellington

Wembley

West Ealing

Wombwell

Worcester

Worksop