Administrators for Wilko have revealed its large store in Basildon will be closing after failing to secure a rescue deal for the whole business.

PwC, which was appointed to oversee the insolvency last month, have announced the locations of 52 stores set to shut, and said it remains in talks with parties interested in buying the remaining parts of the business.

The Basildon store, at Westgate Park, will shut on September 14, leaving loyal shoppers in the town gutted.

Today the Echo visited the store which is full of “sale” banners and empty shelves. Echo reader Claire Morgan also noticed this, as she commented: "Went in there Monday, shelves are already bare."

Not only Wilko shoppers are upset, as Basildon residents have branded the closure "another nail in the coffin for Basildon".

Vivien Patricia Mitchell commented: "Such a shame. I'm there every weekend. Basildon [is] going downhill fast. I'll just do B&M and Primark then."

The news comes a day after rival retailer B&M bought up to 51 other Wilko stores in a deal worth up to £13 million.

Yvonne Davies agreed: "Basildon is beginning to be a ghost town."

Jay Page added: "Well people insist on using Amazon, this was always gonna be the result."

HMV boss Doug Putman is believed to still be in discussions with PwC over a potential deal to save a significant number of stores.

The raft of closures next week will lead to 1,016 redundancies, while the company has also announced job losses in its warehouses and service centre.