CONFIDENCE is growing that Southend’s Wilko will “stay open in some guise” and could become a B&M store.

The future of the shop, on the ground floor of the Victoria Shopping, has been hanging in the balance since Wilko entered into administration.

Last week, it was confirmed that Basildon’s Wilko would be closing for good but Southend’s shop avoided being named on the initial list of closures.  On Thursday night at a Southend full council meeting, councillor Donna Richardson asked councillor for economic growth and investment Daniel Nelson “What plans do we have to stabilise the Victoria Shopping Centre with anchor tenant Wilko going into administration?”

Mr Nelson responded: “As it stands Southend’s Wilko shop does not have a date for closure and as such remains open and as one of our tenants in the Victoria.

“The current position with Wilko’s is still developing but as things stand B&M have bought 51 of Wilko`s units and a private Canadian Investor is still interested in purchasing up to 300 further stores.

“Keeping hopes very much alive that the store here in Southend will remain open in one guise or another but we will know more as the situation unfolds.

“We are hopeful that the situation will be resolved satisfactorily shortly. We will of course continue to do our utmost to minimise economic disruption caused by Wilko going into administration.”

More than 50 shops across the country will close.  Administrators PwC said 24 shops would close next Tuesday, with a further 28 to shut on Thursday, due to the “absence of viable offers” for the whole company.

Tony Cox, leader of Southend Council, added that he is “cautiously optimistic” that the popular store will stay open.  He said: “We don’t know what they have brought exactly from the administrator.

“But the fact that our Southend store hasn’t been earmarked for closure and some have been bought by B&M and another company suggests it does have a future.

“We are treating it at this stage as cautiously optimistic.

“But my heart first and foremost goes out to the workers whose jobs remain uncertain.”