Login   |   Register   |   
Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Photo-a-Day Archive
Photo-a-Day Archive

Photo-a-Day  (Monday, 25th September, 2023)

Wilko And Out


Wilko And Out
The last day at Wilko, Wigan.

Photo: Dennis Seddon  (Sony DSC-WX500)
Views: 1,863

Comment by: Alan on 25th September 2023 at 01:33

This is nothing new, we should be used to closures by now,
Woolworths being one of the first to go.

Comment by: Arthur on 25th September 2023 at 01:40

It's the last day at wilko everywhere.

Comment by: Broady on 25th September 2023 at 06:03

What a boring picture.

Comment by: PeterP on 25th September 2023 at 06:16

To some it is social history. The demise of another national store not the 1st and definitely not the last. In Wigan we have lost to name a few C&A Debenhams BHS Marks& Spencer Woolworths WH Smiths the list goes on

Comment by: WN1 Standisher on 25th September 2023 at 07:11

You could always submit one of your own Broady

Comment by: Sandra on 25th September 2023 at 07:31

We have B&M, and the Range that are similar shops. So not all lost.
For me one of the real problems at Wilko is no car park.

Comment by: Irene Roberts on 25th September 2023 at 07:42

I went in there as a child when it was Pendlebury's, then worked in there in my twenties when it was Debenhams. What's next for that building, I wonder?

Comment by: Garry on 25th September 2023 at 08:07

Nothing can be as bad as when Woolworths closed down, it was the heart and soul of Wigan Town and a great place to visit on Saturdays.

Comment by: Veronica on 25th September 2023 at 08:12

Wigan Council’s instructions to the Art Team..
“ Quick get some posters painted for the windows. Don’t care what you do but make them look lively ….and Believable so folk won’t notice!”…
I wonder what they’ll come up with.
Perhaps some more dancers from the Casino’s All Nighters!

Comment by: Janet on 25th September 2023 at 08:54

This store has nothing to do with Wigan Council.

Comment by: Pw on 25th September 2023 at 08:56

No photo is boring if it means something to just one person.Keep them coming Dennis

Comment by: DTease on 25th September 2023 at 09:05

Broady, what a boring comment.

Comment by: Malc on 25th September 2023 at 09:08

The closure of Wilko is no laughing matter, peoples livelihoods are at stake.
The council has nothing to do with this store.
I hope the workers can find new employment.

Comment by: Wiganer on 25th September 2023 at 09:20

I feel sorry for all the workers across the country who are losing their jobs at Wilko, especially the with the run up the Christmas.

Comment by: Veronica on 25th September 2023 at 09:56

Who’s laughing?
I’m sure the windows will be covered over it doesn’t look good to see them empty. All the other closed shops have something to deceive the eye…I think people are used to these closures by now. It’s very sad to see what is happening but online ordering and B&M is still alive and kicking at the moment. I wouldn’t be surprised if Homebase takes the store over.

Comment by: DTease on 25th September 2023 at 10:33

I agree with Garry, it was a very sad day when Woollies closed. I don’t think I ever went to Wigan without visiting Woollies, it was a mandatory part of the day out. Saturday morning was ABC Minors followed by a visit to Woollies, followed by a long walk home through the Plantation because I had spent my bus fare in Woollies.
A three mile dawdle home at that age seemed like a pleasure.

Comment by: Roy. on 25th September 2023 at 11:18

We seem to blame the Council in Wigan for everything which is total nonsense. Who ever moved in this store hopefully ex Wilko employees will be taken on.

Comment by: Gary on 25th September 2023 at 12:42

Thought it was Pendlebury's.
In 1974 my wife spotted the ideal material for her wedding dress there - they didn't have enough, but a phone call to the Southport store resolved the issue.
We drove to Southport in my dad's iffy Morris 1800 and finally got the pattern she wanted after a month of scouring Newcastle, where we lived at the time, Dumfries where she was from. All sorted by a phone call from Pendlebury's in Wigan.

Comment by: ex wiganer on 25th September 2023 at 13:39

The world today is looking very very bleak theres going to be nothing left anywhere for anybody its a disgrace. Wigan will never ever again be like it used to be shops bustling with people or any other towns lets face we have all hit rock bottom and people must get it into there heads there is nothing left to hold onto anymore it is a one big mess.

Comment by: Syd Smith on 25th September 2023 at 13:50

Ive seen comments from Broady in the past saying, what a boring photo on some of Micks photos, don't take him on.

Comment by: Sir Bob on 25th September 2023 at 14:05

Yoo do know that the building, is not the same building as the old Debenhams/Pendleburys building.

Comment by: Veronica on 25th September 2023 at 15:00

I agree ex Wiganer …the world as we knew it is completely changing. It’s becoming more and more ‘robotic’ I can’t think of any other word for it…what I would say is it’s it’s becoming more and more unnerving for the elderly.

Comment by: The Culprits on 25th September 2023 at 15:02

They're closing down the shops boys
And knocking down the town ,
Demolishing the old Victorian rows
Each side of the Rose and Crown ,
Where Cyril once drunk Almond's ale ,
(At the bar he had a tab )
Now it's another takeaway
Selling Shish Kebabs ,

And the butcher's is a nail bar ,
The old chapel a carpet shop ,
The grocer's a Turkish barber
Where nobody goes for a crop ,
The fishmonger now is selling Vape
Next door to Bargain Booze ,
They're closing down the shops mate ,
And Who's to blame ? Why us .

Poet

Comment by: Kath H on 25th September 2023 at 15:41

I don’t think the people who have lost their jobs at Wilko will think it is boring. I would say take no notice, but I don’t think you would anyway. Ignore him.

Comment by: ex wiganer on 25th September 2023 at 15:58

All them shops b&m and the range are all a load of tac!

Comment by: Garry on 25th September 2023 at 18:44

This building that was occupied by Wilko is indeed the Pendlebury's building and later became Debenhams stores.

Comment by: Cyril on 25th September 2023 at 19:59

Good photo Dennis, and considering there's hardly any shops left in the town centre, there are quite a few folks loaded up with bags of shopping, probably been to Tesco or Iceland - maybe.
Good ditty that Poet, and so very true too and all happening on the High Streets. I haven't heard of a tab for a while, do pubs still do tabs? or are they too just a memory now. I doubt those bars on King Street will be letting folks open a tab.

Comment by: John(Westhoughton) on 25th September 2023 at 22:24

Bring back the Greenshield shop HaHa was it Standishgate.

Comment by: Edna on 25th September 2023 at 22:35

All those posters on the windows.Big Sale, they kept announcing. I went in a few times before it closed. There was no such sale at all.Everything was priced as it was before. Unless they really lowered the prices on the last day.

Comment by: Mr TashyFace on 25th September 2023 at 23:15

I never went to Wilko's, but I wouldn't worry over them closing. Everything they sold will be available to buy elsewhere. They didn't produce anything that will be non-existant due to their closure. Wilko's simply sold products for someone else. It's no loss.

Comment by: e on 26th September 2023 at 00:07

Fragmenting a heart to a many from a whole ,
Leaves behind something bereft of a soul.
Purpose and meaning you held and could feel , when the heart and the soul ,
are at one with the real ..

Comment by: Sir Bob on 26th September 2023 at 20:41

Garry said:

"This building that was occupied by Wilko is indeed the Pendlebury's building and later became Debenhams stores"

No, only the outer facade of the old Debenhams store is actually from the old store, the inside of Debenhams was demolished, whilst the outer walls were supported using scaffolding, and a brand new building was built inside the shell of the old Debenhams store, the same way the Life Centre is built inside of the shell of an old council building, and the same thing was done on King Street, when the Jaks club was built inside of the old building where the Turnkey was located, so the Wigan Wilko was actually only about 15 yrs old.

Comment by: Alan on 27th September 2023 at 19:36

Garry is spot on.

Comment by: Veronica on 28th September 2023 at 09:03

Garry/ Alan it’s true what Sir Bob says. The space inside was entirely different to how it was.
It’s nothing like it was previously. But I think it’s really good how they come up with the idea of preserving the facades of various buildings.

Leave a comment?

* Enter the 5 digit code to the right of the input box. Don't worry if you make a mistake, you will get another chance. Your comments won't be lost.