Closure date announced for Sunderland Wilko store

Sunderland's branch of Wilko will be among the last to close.

The chain will shut the doors of its last remaining stores on Sunday, October 8, as the collapse of the historic retailer reaches its final stages.

The Sunderland branch in Fawcett Street is one of those remaining open to the bitter end, closing on that final Sunday.

There has been no news yet on the future of the building, though it was announced earlier his month that the Seaham and Peterlee Wilko branches would become Pounland stores, with existing staff given priority for jobs.

The hardware and furnishings retailer tumbled into administration last month after it came under pressure from weak consumer spending and debts to suppliers.

The retailer will shut its final 111 stores in early October as part of the final phase of closures, administrators for PwC said.

The Wilko brand will not disappear entirely from the UK high street after The Range agreed to buy Wilko’s brand, website and intellectual property, with plans to sell the acquired brand in its stores.

Wilko was originally founded by James Kemsey Wilkinson in Leicester in 1930 and employed 12,500 workers before its collapse.