A CEILING collapse shocked horrified shoppers at a former Wilko just hours after re-opening as Poundland
Pieces of tile fell from above at a Greater Manchester store in Eccles, Salford, after welcoming customers in on Saturday.
MEN MediaThe former Wilko re-opened as a Poundland across the weekend[/caption]
Shopper were shocked as chunks fell from the ceilingMEN Media
The broken chucks narrowly missed one employees head, as reported by the MEN.
There were also other issues, and parts of the shop were in desperate need for repair despite being open to the public.
Leaks could be seen causing damp on the ceiling and water was dripping onto the floors.
But, new Poundland bosses said while they accept work needs to be done, they stand by their decision to open – and get people back into jobs quickly.
Darren Kay, Poundland retail director, told the MEN: “We’re pleased to be able to re-open so quickly in Eccles – not least because our ambition is to provide job opportunities for former Wilko colleagues.
“Of course, we’re not yet in a position to offer our fullest ranges in the store, but we know customers will appreciate a store that’s open, trading and employing colleagues to one that’s got its shutters closed.
“We’d encourage customers old and new to come and say hello to their new Poundland team.
“Poundland intends to carry out a full makeover of the Eccles store in 2024 so it can become a fully operational Poundland.”
So far, the budget retailer has taken on 13 former Wilko staff members and hopes to offer more their job back.
Wilko announced the company was going into administration in August earlier this year.
The brand, which employed 12,500 staff members and ran 400 branches across the UK, confirmed all stores will pull the shutters down by Sunday, October 8.
Closures across the nation have sparked emotional farewell tributes and videos as staff leave their branch for the final time.
Footage shared on social media showed the moment dedicated employees filed out of the Wilko branch in Worksop, Nottinghamshire that had run for 26 years.
Elsewhere in the UK, one fan of the Hounslow store which is due to close today wrote that the town just “won’t be the same without Wilko”.
And, a Leicestershire branch that waved goodbye on September 17, saw workers dancing as they left to commemorate many happy years.
But, PwC did agree a sale of the retailer’s brand name and website to The Range, so it will live on.
Poundland also bought up 71 Wilko stores and said the former workers would be first in line for new jobs.
Meanwhile, rival discounter B&M snapped up 51 Wilko shops in a £13million deal.
Which Wilko stores are closing this week?
The following stores will shut on Tuesday, October 3:
Hounslow, Greater LondonSt Albans, HertfordshireDunstable, BedfordshireWeston Favell, NorthamptonBristolLancaster, LancashireLeeds Trinity, West YorkshireReading, BerkshirePoole, DorsetLincoln, LincolnshireHalifax, West YorkshireWashington, Newcastle upon TyneHitchin, HertfordshireChatham, KentSouthend, EssexMetro Centre, Gateshead, Tyne and WearEpsom, SurreyCannon Park, Coventry, WarwickshireNorwich, NorfolkPreston, LancashireCanterbury, KentKingston Upon Thames, SurreyCarlisle, CumbriaBarnsley, South YorkshireKingswood, BristolColchester, EssexIlford, Greater LondonMaidstone, KentHuntingdon, Cambridgeshire
The following stores will shut on Thursday, October 5:
Bishop Stortford, HertfordshireTottenham Hale, Greater LondonWorthing, West SussexRomford, Greater LondonSelly Oak, BirminghamWembley, LondonBirstall, West YorkshireUxbridge, Greater LondonBurton, StaffordshireLee Circle, Leicester, LeicestershireWest Ealing, LondonBlackburn, LancasterBexleyheath, Greater LondonThe Beacon Eastbourne, East SussexWeymouth, DorsetNewcastle-under-Lyme, StaffordshireBeaumont Leys, Leicester, LeicestershireHinckley, LeicestershireLivingston, ScotlandChelmsford, EssexRiverside Shopping Centre, Northampton, East MidlandsSittingbourne, KentStourbridge, West MidlandsManchester, Greater ManchesterHamilton, South LanarkshireDeepdale, Preston, LancashireBasingstoke, HampshireClifton Moor, York, North YorkshireBurgess Hill, West SussexCastle Douglas, Dumfries and GallowayHarrow, LondonTooting, LondonTelford, ShropshireIpswich, SuffolkSt James Retail Park, Sheffield, South YorkshireNottingham, MidlandsCheltenham, GloucestershireBulwell, NottinghamshireAbergavenny, MonmouthshireFrenchgate Shopping Centre, Doncaster, South YorkshireClifton, Bristol
The following stores will shut on Sunday, October 8:
Neath, Neath Port TalbotBromley, LondonCarmarthen, CarmarthenshireCardiff, South GlamorganSelby, North YorkshireArnold, NottinghamshirePortsmouth, HampshireOswestry, ShropshireChester, CheshireHucknall, NottinghamshireAyr, South AyrshireWidnes, CheshireHorsham, West SussexBirkenhead, MerseysideKingston Centre, Milton Keynes, BuckinghamshireParkgate, Rotherham, South YorkshirePerry Barr, Birmingham, West MidlandsCastleford, West YorkshirePorthmadog, CaernarfonshireBrighouse, West YorkshireChelmsley Wood, West MidlandsSwansea, WalesSunderland, Tyne and WearMiddlesbrough, North YorkshireSilverlink, Newcastle, Tyne and WearChesterfield, DerbyshireSutton, SurreyDerby, DerbyshireScarborough, North YorkshireCrystal Peaks, Sheffield, South YorkshirePlymouth, DevonEly, CambridgeshireLoughborough, LeicestershireLiverpool, MerseysideStratford, LondonNewcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and WearCoventry, West MidlandsSheffield, South YorkshireExeter, DevonLuton, BedfordshireWood Green, London
Pieces of tile almost fell on an employees head, as reported by the MEN
MEN MediaWater was seen collecting in pools on the floor[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
