Wilko: Retailer owed more than £1m to Bolton companies

The historic firm went out of business last month leaving yet another gap on troubled high streets all over the country.

A Companies House report has now found that Wilko owed a total of £157,261,588, including £1,143,278 owed to firms in Bolton.

Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi said: “The state of affairs report from Companies House lays bare the impact of the fallout from the closure of big businesses like Wilko.

“It has a huge impact on supply chains and on those who have outstanding invoices with the company, the majority of which are small and medium enterprises already struggling in a difficult environment.”

Wilko has also closed on Middlebrook Retail Park (Image: Google Maps)

The figures showing how much the retailer owed to all kinds of companies across the UK were laid bare in a notice of affairs of administration report issued by Companies House.

It shows that in Bolton’s case by far the largest sum came to £758,494, which was owed by Wilko to Higher Swan Lane based 123 Lighting Ltd.

Another large sum, £294,985, was owed to Mallison Street based marketing and distribution service Acdoco.

The report also showed that Wilko owed £55,324 to a Royal Mail Credit Management Centre on Stone Hill Road in Farnworth.

A total of £10,951 was owed to the Farnworth based Lighting and Interiors Group, while £22,043 was owed to Horwich’s AG Barr PLC.

A relatively small total of £850 was owed to Bolton Council with £468 owed to CPD Communications Ltd on Tonge Moor Road.

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Losing Wilko proved to be another bitter blow for a Bolton high street that had already lost Marks and Spencer and Clinton Cards earlier this year.

The branch on Middlebrook Retail Park also closed down shortly after, once it became clear rescue bids were unlikely to save the troubled retailer.

Ms Qureshi says that she now plans to raise what can be done about the money Wilko owed to companies in her own and other constituencies in Westminster.

She said: “I will be writing to the Business Secretary to raise the issues that have come out of the report because more work needs to be done on making sure small and medium sized enterprises are properly supported.

“More widely, what all businesses tell me they need are stability and long-term planning which I feel they are not getting at the moment.”