WILKO shoppers are facing empty shelves as they head to stores to bag last-minute deals.
Fans of the bargain retailer have shared their devastation at its failure on social media and have noticed gaps in stock at many stores.
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Wilko’s 400 stores are continuing to trade as normal, while administrators set a deadline of Wednesday for bidders.
Rival retailers are understood to be interested in buying up some of the business, which could save 300 stores and thousands of jobs.
But customers have noted the gaps already on Wilko’s shelves and shoppers visiting stores in London, Reading and Didcot have posted photographs of empty racks.
Others have taken to social media to complain about the stock issue.
One shopper said on Facebook: “Has anyone noticed that Wilko in Wigan is looking like it’s closing? It is nearly bare. With fixtures gone & loads of empty floor space.”
Another said: “Just went into Wilko and it’s half empty.”
Others have said that their local stores have suffered from empty shelves for a while.
“Why is everyone so surprised? The stores have been half-empty for the last few years and prices through the roof,” said one shopper.
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Another said: “Wilko’s shelves have been increasingly empty for several years.”
Shoppers have been tempted in to stores by huge posters in windows promoting a huge administration sale over the weekend.
Signs have popped up in Wilko stores that read: “Wilko administration sale. 1000s of reductions throughout the store.”
PwC has confirmed the sale is beginning to take place in all stores this week.
The future of the popular bargain chain hangs in the balance, after failing to find further investment or a buyer for the business, which is family-owned.
It was forced to appoint administrators last week and all control of the business is being passed over to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
Poundstretcher is not one of the names considering stepping in to save Wilko.
Sources at Poundstretcher told The Sun it has “no interest” in rescuing Wilko from administration.
The insider said that Wilko’s business model is “unprofitable” and for that reason “has no interest whatsoever”.
Other Wilko rivals could snap up between 200 and 300 of the retailer’s shops – but no deal is on the table yet.
Hilco Capital, which invested £40million pounds in the business in January, won’t be bidding, the FT reports.
The restructuring and refinancing firm previously rescued Clintons and Homebase out of administration.
It also oversaw the liquidation process of both British Home Stores and Woolworths.
Any deal to save the beloved chain could involve a buyer snapping up all or just parts of the business.
A buyer could save stores and the brand, or could just purchase the brick-and-mortar sites to use as their own.
Or a deal could include no stores at all, instead buying up the stock or brand name.
Rival discounters like B&M and Home Bargains have succeeded in out-of-town locations.
But most of Wilko’s stores are located on the high street, where shoppers tend to buy less and rents are higher, making them less appealing to any potential buyer.
