Another 9,100 Wilko staff will be made redundant after rescue deal fails | UK News

Administrators said the further 9,100 people will be made redundant by early October.

52 branches of the high street store are set to close this week, but now all shops will close next month.

A rescue deal which could have saved 300 branches under Doug Putman, the billionaire owner of HMV, fell through earlier today.

Previously administrators PwC had announced 1,000 redundancies at its branches as well as its support and distribution centres.

Last week, high street giant B&M agreed to buy up to 51 Wilko stores in a deal worth £13 million.

The Wilko family – who ran the firm until its problems ramped up – have been criticised for continuing to pay its owners millions in dividends even during periods of heavy losses.

Lisa Wilkinson, granddaughter of founder James Kempsey Wilkinson, insists the pay-outs ‘wouldn’t have made the difference’ and said managers threw ‘everything and everything again at trying to make Wilko a success’ again.

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