Gorleston: Fears for high street as Wilko set to close

The GMB union announced all of Wilko’s 400 stores across the country are set to close in the coming weeks.

Monday's announcement comes after a rescue deal for the chain fell through.

Wilko branches in Great Yarmouth and Gorleston are to close soon. Picture - Denise Bradley (Image: Denise Bradley)

Last week, the Great Yarmouth branch inside Market Gates Shopping Centre announced its closure date for Thursday, September 14. However, until today, the fate of the Gorleston shop was uncertain.

Kevin Huggins, the chairman of the Gorleston Traders' Association, said: "It's an absolute tragedy.

"I am very sorry for the staff losing their jobs. It's something nobody wants to see.

"There were a lot of people who used Wilko and it's going to affect footfall down the High Street.

"For customers, there is still QD here, but that's if there's enough on offer elsewhere down the whole street to attract them here."

Kevin Huggins, chair of the Gorleston Traders' Association. Picture - Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Huggins added that last year's closure of the High Street branch of Barclays had a noticeable knock-on effect with declining customer numbers on the street.

"And Boots is closing shortly as well," he added.

"I just don't know what's going to happen the High Street."

Mr Huggins said he would like to see the Wilko unit turned into an indoor market with smaller independent outlets and businesses sharing the rent.

With all 400 Wilko stores set to close across the country, redundancies now look likely for all 12,500 staff at the high street chain.

Administrators for the firm had been in discussions with Doug Putman, who owns HMV, over a deal to buy around 200 Wilko shops - but these talks collapsed.

A closure date for the Gorleston branch has yet to be announced, but Great Yarmouth's branch closes for good on Thursday, and Lowestoft's Wilko closes on Tuesday.