Which Wilko stores are closing in 2022? Is your local on the list?

Wilkos has confirmed that it's closing 15 of its stores in 2022—but which Wilko stores are closing and is your local on the list to be scrapped?

In another blow for the high street, 85-year-old everyday essentials retailer, Wilko, is set to be dramatically cut from towns and cities across the UK, and it comes after recent Iceland store closures, and M&S announcing plans to close stores into 2023.

Meanwhile, TSB confirmed it too was closing 70 branches in 2021 as a result of people using banks less and both Natwest and HSBC announced closures in 2022. More recently, it was announced that 18 Halifax branches will be closing in 2023.

Wilko said the closures would not affect its new openings or stores relocation programme.

The firm's chief executive, Jerome Saint-Marc, explained, "As a business we're evolving and this includes working with landlords for more favourable terms, as well as looking at locations and store formats.

"We'll continue to pull together to make our business better to secure the future of over 16,000 team members.

"We'll be doing everything we can to support our affected team members who will be offered any available positions in nearby stores.

"We apologise to those communities where stores are closing."

Which Wilko stores are closing?

Wilko currently has 414 stores in the UK but it's been confirmed the following locations are closing:

• Bournemouth
• Stockton
• The Fort
• Shipley
• Scunthorpe
• Narborough Road
• Grantham
• Redditch
• Rotherham
• Skegness
• Sutton Coldfield
• Edmonton Green
• Llanelli
• Merthyr Tydfil
• Cleethorpes

The company, which has its headquarters based in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, was formerly known as Wilkinson Cash Stores and Wilkinson Hardware Stores. Despite the name change, Wilko is still a British high street retail chain that sells homewares and household goods and a go-to destination for shoppers to buy essentials.

The company was founded in Leicester by James Kemsey Wilkinson in 1930 and remains in the ownership of the founding family.

Many shoppers were sad to hear of Wilko's plans to scale down, taking to social media to express their disappointment.

One wrote, 'Omg noooo' with a crying face emoji.

Another put, 'Why that’s so sad.'

And another shopper added, 'They’re closing so many around the country :('

But one shopper pointed out, 'Although very sad for hardworking store staff involved (hopefully some can be redeployed in other local Wilkos stores) the reality is that 96% of Wilkos stores are not closing! - and so the overall impact across UK "High Streets" will not be huge.'

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