Poundland is set to re-open a further 9 former Wilko stores this weekend under their brand. 

Wilko entered administration last month leaving all 400 stores and 12,500 employees at risk. 

Administrators at PwC were forced to sell off Wilko’s assets after failing to secure a rescue deal for the whole business.

More than 250 Wilko stores have shut across the UK, with the final round of closures taking place on Sunday (October 8). 

The Northern Echo: The final round of Wilko store closures took place on Sunday (October 8).The final round of Wilko store closures took place on Sunday (October 8). (Image: PA)

However, there are a number of sites across the UK that have been saved and will relaunched under a new high-street brand. 

Fellow high street retailer B&M bought 51 Wilko stores at the beginning of September in a deal thought to be worth around £13 million. 

While The Range agreed to a deal to buy Wilko’s brand for around £5 million.

Poundland owner Pepco also agreed on a deal earlier this month to buy 71 Wilko stores from administrator PwC following the collapse of the high street chain.

This weekend will mark the third round of re-openings with 20 ex-Wilko sites having opened as Poundland stores over the previous two Saturdays.

The Wilko stores re-opening as Poundland

Poundland revealed it is set to re-open another 9 former Wilko stores under their brand on Saturday, October 14.

The 9 former Wilko sites, re-opening as Poundland stores on Saturday are: 

  • Ripley
  • Bolton
  • Gateshead
  • Bicester
  • Peterborough
  • Sheffield
  • Cramlington
  • Aberdare
  • Rugeley

This comes just a week after 10 other Wilko stores re-opened under the Poundland brand, following 10 the weekend before.

The stores already re-opened as Poundlands are:

  • Broad Street, Chell Road, Stafford, Staffordshire, West Midlands
  • Pendle Rise Shopping Centre, Nelson, Lancashire
  • The Peel Centre, Great Portwood Street, Stockport, Greater Manchester
  • The Mall, Church Street, Eccles, Manchester
  • London Street, Southport, Merseyside
  • Lord Street, Leigh, Greater Manchester
  • East Street, Barking, London
  • High Street, Maidenhead, Berkshire
  • Bede Precinct, Viking Centre, Jarrow, South Tyneside
  • The Broadway, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire
  • Melton Mowbray
  • Matlock
  • Chepstow
  • Nottingham
  • Worcester
  • Ellesmere Port
  • Brigg
  • Redruth
  • Ferndown
  • Pontypool

Poundland said it aims to open all the Wilko stores it bought by the end of 2023 before giving them all a full makeover in 2024 so they become “fully operational Poundlands”.

Poundland offers more than 200 jobs to ex-Wilko staff

Amid the re-opening of former Wilko stores, Poundland has also offered jobs to more than 200 former staff members from the collapsed retailer.

No workers were directly transferred to Poundland as part of the rescue deal, but Poundland had encouraged former Wilko staff to apply for roles and said it would “prioritise” them for positions at the stores.

Last Tuesday (October 3), Poundland said it had made job offers to more than 200 former Wilko staff, with that “number increasing day-by-day”.

Upon revealing the new round of re-openings today, a Poundland spokespersons said the company was "continuing to prioritise Wilko colleagues for roles".

The spokesperson added: "We look forward to you (former Wilko employees) considering applying & bringing your talent & commitment to our Poundland family."