Clydebank Wilko shoppers say goodbye as shop closes its doors for good

The popular homeware retailer collapsed into administration in early August with the Clyde Shopping Centre outlet one of 27 to be shut down on September 14.

Over the past few days, locals flogged to the beleaguered shop to snap some heavily discounted items, leaving shelves bare on its final day.

Speaking to the Clydebank Post during a visit in the final few hours, resident Anne Wood, 73, admitted she will miss her weekly visits.

Ms Wood said: "I would get down every week or every two weeks.

"I liked to stock up on my cleaning products at Wilko.

"It's sad. I feel sorry for the staff who are going to lose their jobs."

Shoppers flogged to the shop to grab up some cut-price deals (Image: Tom Grant)

No sweets left at the shops famed pic'n'mix (Image: Tom Grant)

A total of 22 Wilko staff will lose their jobs at the Clydebank store.

And Stephen Riordan from Dalmuir believes the shop's demise shows the days of a bustling high street in the town are long gone.

He said: "More and more shops are disappearing from the shopping centre, and this is just another one.

"There will likely be more, if not this year but next year as well.

"You walk about this shopping centre and half the shops are lying empty."

Over the past few weeks, administrators PwC have been frantically trying to get a buyer for the Wilko business and preserve jobs.

European value brand B&M agreed to purchase 51 Wilko stores - although not the Clydebank one with there already being multiple outlets nearby.

Then, a last-ditch attempt by the owner of HMV to strike a rescue deal for the stricken retailer fell through, again intensifying fears over the future of thousands of jobs. 

The shelves were left empty (Image: Tom Grant)

Aisles were cordoned off (Image: Tom Grant)

Poundland owner Pepco agreed to buy up to 71 Wilko stores earlier this week and The Range has committed to buying the Wilko brand for around £5m.

But none of that made any difference to shoppers and staff in Clydebank who will now see yet another idle storefront in the town's flagship shopping centre.

Marie McCarthy, 60, told the Post Wilko was one of her favourite shops.

She said: "It did everything you could want.

"Yeah, there are a few of those types of shops these days but for me, Wilko was the first one.

"I'll miss chatting to the staff when I visited."