‘Popped into B&M for a few things and left with 51 Wilko stores, happens to the best of us’: B&M sparks backlash over social media joke about £13m takeover of high street chain as 12,000 jobs remain at risk
- Wilko is currently in administration and thousands are facing the axe as a result
- But B&M Bargains seemed to make light of the situation in a now deleted post
B&M has sparked a backlash after appearing to make a tone-deaf ‘joke’ about taking over a string of Wilko stores – after 1,332 staff were laid off yesterday with around 12,000 more jobs still at risk.
Troubled retailer Wilko collapsed into administration last month, with insolvency experts from PwC spending recent weeks seeking to hammer out a rescue deal for the historic retailer.
Administrators have held talks with a raft of suitors, including HMV owner Doug Putman, in order to save Wilko’s 400 stores and 12,500 jobs. But yesterday, B&M European Value Retail announced it was buying up to 51 Wilko sites from the administrators in a deal worth up to £13million, after swooping in at the 11th hour.
However, more than 1,300 more staff will lose their jobs at beleaguered high street chain Wilko. PwC said 52 Wilko stores would not be part of a rescue package by B&M European Value Retail and would be closed, putting 1,016 staff out of work. A further 299 jobs will go at two distribution centres.
And in an apparent tone-deaf post on Facebook which has since been deleted, B&M’s official account said: ‘Popped into B&M for a few things and left with 51 Wilko stores. Happens to the best of us.’
In a tone-deaf post on Facebook which has since been deleted, B&M’s official account said: ‘Popped into B&M for a few things and left with 51 Wilko stores. Happens to the best of us.’
Troubled retailer Wilko collapsed into administration last month, with insolvency experts from PwC spending recent weeks seeking to hammer out a rescue deal for the historic retailer
The post sparked a social media backlash, with one user raging: ‘Christ B&M, people have lost their jobs and are on the brink of unemployment and this?’.
Another said: ‘Well B&M, aren’t you such a lovely lot 12,500 jobs on the line and you think this is funny. Glad I don’t work for you lot,’ – while a third added: ‘Absolutely disgraceful post!’
MailOnline has contacted B&M Bargains for comment.
It comes as administrators for Wilko have revealed the locations of 52 stores which will close after failing to secure a rescue deal for the whole business.
PwC, which was appointed to oversee the insolvency last month, said it remains in talks with parties interested in buying the remaining parts of the business. Administrators added on Wednesday that ‘it is possible that further store closures may regrettably be necessary’, depending on talks with remaining suitors.
It is understood that HMV owner Doug Putman is still in discussions with PwC over a possible deal to save a significant number of stores.
B&M could potentially save some people from losing their job but more than 12,000 people still face the axe
The raft of closures next week will lead to to 1,016 redundancies, while the company has also announced hundreds of further job losses affecting warehouse and service centre staff.
Edward Williams, joint administrator, said: ‘In the absence of viable offers for the whole business, very sadly store closures and redundancies of team members from those stores are now necessary.
‘The loss of these stores will be felt not only by the team members who served them with such dedication, including through the uncertainty of recent weeks, but also the communities which they have been a part of.’
Andy Prendergast, GMB national secretary, said: ‘Every single redundancy is a person who will wake up facing an uncertain future. This needs to be on the forefront of everyone’s minds.
‘The reality is years of mismanagement have led us here.
‘We are still doing everything we can secure a deal that would protect the majority of jobs and stores. But this will be of little comfort for those not knowing how they’ll pay their bills.’