Nottinghamshire Council to discuss helping ex-Wilko staff after store closures

The high street giant’s stores in Mansfield, Giltbrook, Newark, Retford, Sutton and Worksop will pull down the shutters before the end of this month.

Overall, around 400 Wilko shops nationwide are closing.

Administrator PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) announced that Giltbrook’s store will close on Monday, September 25.

The stores in Newark, Sutton and Worksop will shut on Wednesday, September 27 with the Mansfield and Retford stores closing two days later on Friday, September 29.

Stores in Clifton, Kimberley, Sherwood, Beeston and Carlton will close this week.

Future plans for the retailer’s stores in Nottingham, Arnold, Bulwell and Hucknall are yet to be outlined by administrators.

Some local jobs may be saved after rival retailer Poundland agreed to buy 71 Wilko retail units nationally – including the units in Beeston, Kimberley and Worksop.

All three stores will become Poundland units in the coming weeks and the GMB union pledged to take steps to ensure affected staff at these stores are prioritised.

Retailer B&M has also agreed to buy 51 Wilko stores, though the locations of those units have not yet been confirmed.

Overall, local job losses caused by the retailer’s collapse are likely to total more than 2,000 roles, amidst a loss of roles at Wilko’s headquarters in Worksop.

Labour-led Bassetlaw Council held a support event last week aimed at affected staff with skills, retraining and employment support on offer.

Now Nottinghamshire Council is to debate a motion aimed at offering extra support to affected staff.

The motion – lodged by Labour group leader Coun Kate Foale and Coun Anne Callaghan (Lab), who represents Mansfield North – says the council should use its position as a ‘major employer’ to support Wilko employees.

It says: “Nottinghamshire County Council has vacancies in valuable areas of work, such as the care sector.

“We should establish links to support the significant number of Wilko staff in Nottinghamshire with transferrable skills who are at risk of losing their employment.

“The council should also take additional steps to connect Wilko staff to existing opportunities and to offer opportunities to learn new skills, with the view to joining our valued workforce.”

The motion will be debated at the authority’s full council meeting on Thursday, September 28.