When James got back from travelling in 2008, he saw a job ad for Wilko. He applied and got it. Fifteen years of loyalty later – after he had worked on “practically everything you could possibly do” at the budget retailer – James* is likely to be made redundant within weeks.
A rescue deal involving HMV to save the embattled Wilko chain fell through on Monday, meaning all 400 stores and 12,500 jobs are likely to go by early October, according to the GMB union. Two distribution centres will close on Friday. Poundland plans to buy up to 71 Wilko sites, but only after all the stores have shut and staff been made redundant.
