Wilko collapse: Jobs to be lost in Portsmouth, Havant, Fareham and Waterlooville as UK firm enters administration

Wilko, a staple of UK high streets with locations in Portsmouth, Havant, Waterlooville and Fareham, has gone into administration - with about 12,000 jobs at risk across the country.

The homes and garden retailer confirmed it had filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators (NOI) last week – with the company’s CEO citing “mounting cash pressures”.

The firm has been running for over 90 years and employed people in the region for generations. It remained open throughout the Covid-19 pandemic as an essential retailer. Wilko boss Mark Jackson said the “difficult decision” followed an intense effort to preserve the company.

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Mark Jackson said: “Over the past six months wilko has been very open that we’ve been considering options to accelerate a turnaround plan given that we needed to make significant changes to the way we operate to restore confidence and stabilise our business. We left no stone unturned when it came to preserving this incredible business but must concede that with regret, we’ve no choice but to take the difficult decision to enter into administration.

"We’ve a history steeped in serving customers and communities going back to 1930. Our founder JK Wilkinson started with a single hardware shop in Leicester and for over 90 years busy, hard-working families have come to us to get their household and garden jobs done quickly, simply and at the best value prices possible.

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“I’d like to take this opportunity on behalf of the directors and the Wilkinson family to thank all of our customers, suppliers, partners and our hardworking team members across our stores, logistics and support centre who remained loyal to wilko.

"We’ve all fought hard to keep this incredible business intact but must concede that time has run out and now, we must do what’s best to preserve as many jobs as possible, for as long as is possible, by working with our appointed administrators.

"It’s been an honour to have worked alongside you all as we fought to realise and to maximise the significant opportunities that existed to re-establish a profitable wilko.”

It is not yet known when the Hampshire branches will shut their doors for the final time.