By Jamie Waller, Local Democracy Reporter
Smaller businesses in Nottinghamshire towns may be suffering after the collapse of Wilko, local leaders fear.
Ten stores closed across the county after the Worksop-based national retailer went into administration in August 2023.
An estimated 2,000 people later lost their jobs across these stores and the Worksop headquarters and distribution centre.
Three of the Nottinghamshire stores have now re-opened as other businesses, and two-thirds of the staff made redundant are back in work.
Nottinghamshire County councillors met on Thursday (March 14) to discuss the authority’s response to Wilko’s collapse.
Members shared fears about the knock-on effect if a major high street name was lost without replacement.
Councillor Boyd Elliott (Con) said: “Whenever a large business goes, we will be there to support staff.
“We’ve learnt that not just the branches of Wilko were affected – there’s an effect on smaller business.
“In Arnold, Wilko is at end of high street near small independent coffee shops. They lost footfall and struggled during that period.
“Thankfully, B&M have gone in and footfall is now greater than ever.”
Councillor Kate Foale (Lab) worried about the effect on Wilko’s former supply chain, saying: “There will be many small and medium-sized businesses that are really struggling.”
Councillor Dave Shaw (Ashfield Ind) said: “We are fortunate in Hucknall that the Range is opening tomorrow. We have a ‘dumbbell effect’ with two large shops and people migrating between them.
“But the big Wilko is still closed in Sutton-in-Ashfield, and that will have a domino effect on the shops around it.”
He added that losing major names without a replacement had been a “disaster” for other towns.
The state of the ten stores across the county which closed in September and October last year is as follows;
Arnold– reopened as B&M
Beeston – still closed
Carlton Square– currently closed to allow Farmfoods to expand from their adjoining premise.
Hucknall – due to be reopened by The Range (March 15)
Kimberley – reopened as Poundland
Mansfield – still closed, but with good interest being shown
Newark – still closed, but with good interest being shown
Retford – still closed, but with some interest being shown
Sutton in Ashfield – still closed, some early interest being shown
Worksop – reopened as Poundland.
The store on Lower Parliament Street in Nottingham also remains closed.
