Brownhills shoppers bid farewell as Wilko starts first day of closures
West Midlands shoppers have bid farewell to a high street staple as retail chain Wilko began its first day of closures.
Brownhills shoppers were among those to visit their local Wilko store for the very last time on Tuesday as the first round of closures commenced.
The high street retail chain announced that all 400 of its stores will close down by early October, with the Brownhills and Stafford branch among the first of 24 shops to close their doors.
There was a grim feeling walking into the store, with shoppers being met with bare shelves instead of the usual low-priced deals.
One shopper, Janet Wilson, 63, of Brownhills, said: "It's a real shame it really is. I buy everything from Wilko – this was my everyday shop.
"It had everything that you needed around the house really. And it was really good quality. It's so sad that it's going really. It really is."
The shop was among some of the first to close following the announcement that a deal with Canadian entrepreneur Doug Putman to save 300 of Wilko's 400 stores fell through, leaving around 12,000 people out of work.
Ray and Kirsty Brandrick, both from Brownhills, said: "It's a shame, It's been here for years and years, you have always known Wilko to be here, it's very sad to see it go.
"We feel bad for the workers, where are they going to go now? They treated you so special here, it was like a real community in there. It is a real shame."
Hundreds of shoppers flocked to the Brownhills branch, hoping to bag a bargain and also say their goodbyes to a staple of the high street.
Anne-Marie Ferkins and Pete Healey, both from Brownhills, said: "You really got to know the people in the store. We have seen them for years. We went in purely to say our goodbyes.
"Pete used to work in Wilko in Manchester, and they ran it for the community. This was a place where you would go and get everything you wanted. It's a shame it is going now."
Brownhills and Stafford branches were among the first of four West Midlands branches to close, and among 24 stores to close nationally.
The next round of closures, set to take place on September 14 will see 28 more stores close their doors, with two more West Midlands branches, Walsall and Uttoxeter, also ceasing to trade.
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