Wilko closures are an 'emotional rollercoaster' says worker

A Wilko worker says the chain folding has been an "emotional rollercoaster" for staff.

Martyn Butler, who has worked at the chain's distribution centre in Magor, Monmouthshire, for 16 years, said workers were like "a second family".

The company employs about 950 staff in Wales and has 28 shops, which are all due to close in the coming weeks.

Stores in Cardiff Bay, Port Talbot and Llandudno will be the first to close on Tuesday.

Regular Wilko customers expressed their sadness as they made their last purchases, with one saying the future of the high street looks bleak.

"It's very much been an emotional rollercoaster over the last few months," Mr Butler, who is also a GMB union representative, told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"Obviously there's been a lot of talk over possible rescue deals and everything else getting people's hopes up.

"And now it's coming to the reality that we're being made redundant, so as you can imagine, it's a very difficult time for people."

Wilko fell into administration in August after struggling with losses and fierce competition from other discount chains, such as Poundland and The Range.

Doug Putman, the billionaire owner of music retailer HMV, had been trying to buy at least 100 Wilko shops but the deal fell through due to rising costs.

On Monday, administrators PwC said that "despite extensive efforts" it had become clear that "no significant part of the Wilko operations can be rescued".

Mr Butler, 47, said working for Wilko was all that many colleagues had known.

He pointed to "whole households" - husbands, wives, brothers and sisters - being employed there, adding: "The biggest impact is the emotional side, everyone is splitting up. Some have been here 10 years, 20 years plus."

From a total distribution centre workforce of 360, there are now about 200 left, with just 50 set to remain after Friday to help with decommissioning of the site.

He said job fairs had been arranged for workers, but many of the roles on offer were on the other side of the River Severn in Avonmouth and Bristol.

"Entire households are going to be affected with the loss of jobs now coming up to Christmas," Mr Butler added.

"The length of time a lot of us have been there, the job market has changed a lot.

"Some people haven't been for interviews in the last 20 years or so.

"It's a massive blow."

Mr Butler said that after months of speculation and hopes of rescue deals, at least staff now had closure and could start trying to plan a future away from the site in other roles.

Adam Marsden, who lives in Cardiff Bay, said he felt bad for Wilko staff.

"I just feel for for everyone involved, it's a lot of people who now don't have a job," he said outside the Cardiff Bay store.

"Where do they go from here? It's all too familiar.

"I don't know where people get their next pay from now... it seems constant. Another business has gone."

Roy Webber, who has visited the Cardiff Bay shop every week, said it was awful one of his favourite shops was going.

The 75-year-old, from Canton, Cardiff, said he had been chatting to staff and had told them "there's plenty of work out there".

"It's terrible, but it's one of those things, it's the world we live in today," he said.

Vicky Webber, 72, said: "It was a nice little shop, they had loads of different things in there."

The situation in Wales is being mirrored across the UK.

Stores in Liverpool, Acton and Falmouth are among 24 branches to shut on Tuesday, with a further 28 closing on Thursday.

By October, the discount retailer will disappear from the high street completely, with all 400 stores closing and the loss of 12,500 jobs.