Wilko: Staff and customers say final farewell to Clifton branch

Staff and customers have said a sad farewell to a Wilko store that has been at the heart of their community for more than two decades.

The shutters at the branch in Clifton, Nottingham, were pulled down for the final time on Tuesday.

Nearly all of the firm's 12,500 staff will be let go after the High Street stalwart collapsed into administration and rescue efforts were unsuccessful.

Clifton's branch manager said she was feeling "proud but sad"

On the store's final day of trading, customers came for one last shop and paid tribute to the staff.

Goodwill messages from customers had attached an empty shelving unit as bargain-hunters browsed heavily-reduced products.

Store manager Paula Oakes told the BBC she had been with Wilko for 29 years and had "nothing but special memories" of her time working for the company.

"People could always come in here, sit and have a chat with us we'd always make time for them," she said.

"We've had flowers, we've had chocolates, we've had cards as well as lots of messages. It's very special."

The manager said she was planning to let all the staff turn the keys to close the shop for the final time.

"I'm proud to shut the shutters but I'm very sad."

One of those customers was 98-year-old Gladys, who has been a regular ever since the Clifton branch opened in 2000.

She would often come in to sit on a bench and chat to staff while eating her sandwiches.

"I feel like I could sob my socks off, I really could," she said.

"In fact, I sat in my chair last night thinking about Wilko and did nothing but burst into tears."

Paige Johnson, who has worked at Wilko since 2016, admits she had not planned on staying for too long but fell in love with the store and staff and described them as a "little family".

Wilko's rivals have been buying up parts of the Worksop-based company since administrators were unable to find a buyer for the whole business, which could lead to some staff members being re-employed.

On 12 September, the owner of Poundland agreed a deal to take on the leases of about 71 Wilko shops, which will reopen under its own brand.

Another rival B&M has also agreed to buy 51 of Wilko's shops in a £13m deal.

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