'I went to Wilko administration sale - I was spooked by an eerie omen'

04 September 2023 , 13:53

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Halloween skeletons greet shoppers in this particular Wilko store (Image: Manchester Family/MEN)

Wilko collapsed last month, in another blow for the UK high street - with its stores now hosting administration sales to shift stock.

Talks over the future of Wilko are still ongoing, with it currently unclear how many of its 400 stores can potentially be saved. But with its shops still open for now, Manchester Evening News Parents Editor Emma Gill explained what it was like to visit one of its administration sales. Here is what she had to say...

"I'm sure there aren't many people who haven't shopped at Wilko at some point. For some it's an occasional trip for cleaning products, for others it's their go-to for everything from toasters to wallpaper - and its pick and mix is legendary in itself.

"Its collapse has therefore come as quite a surprise to high street shoppers who, quite frankly, simply never saw it coming. My visit to the Bolton Middlebrook branch this week painted a very bleak picture of a once thriving firm going under.

"A bunch of skeletons hanging near the doorway is perhaps not the best omen, but if anything it symbolised what people most fear - yet another death on the high street. The majority of shelves had been stripped bare by shoppers, the bigger the discount, the scarcer the stock.

Wilko makes huge change to over 400 UK stores - and it's good for shoppers

Emma Gill visited the Bolton Middlebrook Wilko (Manchester Family/MEN)

"The 'administration sale', managed by PwC, has seen up to 50% off Christmas decorations, 30% off gardening and stationery, 20% off kitchenware and home accessories and 10% off pet care. It was obvious the products that hadn't been reduced, such as toiletries and branded make-up, as these were in plentiful supply.

"A far cry from the pick and mix section, which was completely empty except for two lonely tubs of raspberry lips and chocolate fudge. Staff seemed remarkably chipper given the circumstances. It can't be easy watching bargain hunters strip the store bare when the future of the firm is so uncertain.

"You can't blame the public for wanting to save some pennies though - especially when times have been so tough. There wasn't much that caught my eye.

Empty pick and mix (Manchester Family/MEN)

"I picked up some nice mugs, saving 60p on each one, so not a massive saving. And I decided to treat my Labrador to some new dog toys, reduced by 10%. They were ones that fared particularly well when we did a chew test article at Christmas last year, but have since been destroyed.

"You can imagine how happy Milo was to see the return of Bruce the gorilla. If his favourite toy can be brought back from the dead, who knows what can be done for Wilko. But the high street will certainly be a sadder place without it."

Emma Gill