A near empty display of batteries summed up the state of Wilko on Sutton High Street on the morning of Friday 6 October.
The insolvent chain is powering down, its final 40-odd stores closing for good on Sunday. Sutton's was one of London's last to be clinging on — and it was as if the signs chipperly declaring 'EVERYTHING MUST GO!' and '1000s of reductions throughout the store!' were doing it through gritted teeth.
Wilko has always been known for its bargains, but when it's 70% off on birthday cards, you know something's gone badly wrong. The 70% off NiQuitin lozenges were not a sign that Rishi Sunak's new smoking policies were already paying dividends, either.
Though the shelves were half bare — and the fridges already gutted of soft drinks — plenty of locals milled about, looking for eleventh-hour bargains. They pored over heavily reduced wine glasses, bird feeders, tins of paint, coffee mugs in the shape of Jammie Dodgers — whatever was left. "Bulbs, batteries... it was quite useful for me," said Suni who's been coming here for over 10 years.
Established in Leicester in 1930, Wilko (then Wilkinson) made a name for itself in Britain, going on to occupy at least 10 stores in London (it didn't actually classify its Sutton store as 'London', but rather Surrey — technically incorrect) including Tooting, Putney, Thamesmead, Tottenham and Hammersmith. There was even one on Kensington High Street.
While the high street dwindled of late, Wilko seemed to power through — often teeming with customers who loved it for its everyday items, and quirky bits and pieces. "Household, cleaning stuff, stationery. I've bought photo frames in here," said Val from Croydon, "lots of different things. That's what was good about it. You could come in here, and it was near enough anything you wanted you could find."
Lala has been shopping in Wilko for 20 years. "I am very sad," she said, reeling off the list of things she came here for, including shampoo and cleaning products, "Everything really!"
Some, like Rakhi were unaware how bad it'd got for the store "So it's closing for everywhere in England?!" she asked, adding, "I'm really sad, because I used to come all the time. I like this shop, but what can I do?"
Then there were those just here to figure out what was going on: "I am puzzled," said Billy, who's been coming to the Sutton branch since it opened, "because it was the busiest shop in the high street, so I don't know why it's closing. I don't get it.
"I thought this was the new Woolworths to be honest."
Since Woolworth closed its stores in 2008, Wilko has stepped in as a surrogate for lots of high street shoppers, for a place to get everything from toiletries to DIY to seeds for the garden. Installing pick 'n' mix stations was surely a signal from Wilko that it was here to save the day. But on Friday, the pick 'n' mix was 50% off, and come Sunday, they'll practically be tossing it at customers, pantomime style.
Not everyone was gutted to see Wilko go: "I wouldn't say I''m too fussed to be honest," said another chap, who came here almost exclusively for its bargain tins of paint, "but it's sad in terms of people losing their jobs and being made redundant probably is the more factor you feel sorry for."
Employees of the store had been told not to speak to press, but there was a definite tinge of sadness and nostalgia in the air — one that's been reflected with the musical farewells on social channels from stores across the country.
This is about more than the swansong of a value store, though. It once again thrusts into the spotlight the in extremis situation of London's high streets, and the fact that we need big ideas to bring it back to life — including reduced rates for local businesses, so we can usher back vibrancy into place from Sutton to Oxford Street.
In the meantime, shoppers did their final mourning while picking up the last few ludicrously good deals. "I'm really sad that it's going, said Val. "Like a lot of people. I shall miss Wilkos."
All images © Londonist
