ADMINISTRATORS for Wilkies, the failed Sottish retail chain, have declared the company’s store in Kirkcaldy will close down before the end of August.

All stock at the store will now be heavily discounted in an “everything must go” sale, joint administrators Blair Nimmo and Alistair McAlinden of Interpath Advisory said this morning.

Wilkies, a long-established presence on Scottish high streets, fell into administration on June 29, as the firm succumbed to trading challenges arising from the pandemic, and rising labour and energy costs. Sales had not recovered to pre-pandemic levels in certain locations.

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A deal was announced at the same time for a new company, led by managing director Karen Forret, to take on six of the chain’s 11 stores, with 55 of the original group’s 95 staff transferring to the new owner

Four stores closed immediately but the administrators have since continued to trade the store in Kirkcaldy to sell stock which was not sold as part of the transaction. Ten members of staff were retained by the administrators to assist with trading.

From tomorrow (August 15), discounts across all departments will increase from 20% to 50% off the last marked price. Stock available includes a wide range of ladieswear and menswear, as well as homewares and cookware, the administrators said.

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Mr McAlinden, head of Interpath Advisory in Scotland and joint administrator, said: “As we enter the final days of trading at the Kirkcaldy store, we would encourage shoppers to head on down as we sell out all of the remaining stock.”

“Once again we’d like to express our huge thanks to the dedicated staff at Kirkcaldy who have shown such professionalism over the past seven weeks.”