SOUTHEND Council should move its “entire civic centre” to the Victoria Shopping Centre if Wilko closes its doors for good, it has been claimed.

With the future of the shop hanging in the balance, councillors from across the political spectrum have claimed it is the perfect opportunity to move council offices to the shopping centre, at the top of Southend High Street.

It comes as the GMB trade union, which represents workers, has claimed the majority of the chain’s stores are to shut “in the next week” following talks with administrators.

Moving the council offices from Victoria Avenue to the shopping centre - which is owned by the council - has been previously touted and last year it was revealed the Civic Centre would be closed inside the next five years.

Daniel Nelson, Tory councillor responsible for economic growth and investment, said: “The options of what we can do to the Wilko store are endless.

“Yes, we can find another commercial tenant to take over it, but with the Civic Centre, in Victoria Avenue, burning money from taxpayers by keeping it open, it makes sense for council offices to move out and find a new home.

“If the unfortunate situation happens with the store closing, we can explore moving the entire Civic Centre in. The benefits this will bring is more people using businesses as the council service providers and staff will be in the area.

“In the past, there have been talks for parts of the Civic Centre, to be converted into flats. With this, a complete regeneration of the site into residential and commercial opportunities could become realistic.”

Daniel Cowan, leader of Southend Labour, backs the idea after the previous Labour administration began putting plans in place to close the civic centre.

He said: “It is a good option because having council services in the most accessible places is important and that people being able to access council services, as well as using retail spaces makes it more convenient and easier for them.

“However, if the unfortunate situation of the Southend Wilko store shutting did happen, it is important for us to continue to attract businesses to increase job opportunities in the area, as well as drive more money to the local economy.”

The retailer, which runs more than 400 stores across the UK, told staff on Thursday, August 10, that it had hired administrators from PwC to oversee the process.