Discount retail chain B&M says it's agreed to buy Wilko stores

A bid to purchase the entirety of the Worksop based company fell through last week

Author: Ella BicknellPublished 5th Sep 2023
Last updated 5th Sep 2023

B&M has secured a deal to buy up to 51 Wilko stores from administrators following the collapse of the rival discount chain.

The Worksop based company fell into administration last month, with multiple attempts to arrange a deal falling through.

Administrators PwC have held talks with a raft of suitors, including HMV owner Doug Putman.

B&M originally planned to buy the entire company but agreed to acquire up to 51 sites, in an deal worth £13m.

The B&M group runs around 1,150 stores in the UK and France under the B&M and Heron brands.

It is understood that the majority of the new stores are expected to rebrand as B&M.

Wilko's currently has 400 stores and 12,500 members of staff.

Last week, PwC announced the first set of job losses linked to Wilko, with 269 support centre workers in Worksop and Newport being made redundant.

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