WILKO has commented on the future of its Leigh store amid troubling news regarding the company nationally.

News reports emerged last week that the homeware and hardware chain planned to appoint administrators, putting about 12,000 jobs at risk.

The boss of the high street retailer said it is expected to enter insolvency after failing to secure a takeover to help the business with ‘mounting cash pressures’.

Wilko, which has about 400 shops, filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators at the High Court on Thursday.

The firm has a shop in Leigh town centre, on the corner of Silk Street and Lord Street.

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Earlier this year, the company hired advisers from PwC in a bid to find to a buyer in order to secure fresh funding to keep the firm trading.

Last year, the retailer agreed a deal to borrow £40million from restructuring specialist Hilco after posting significant losses.

The company said it had ‘no choice’ but to file for the potential insolvency but will continue a possible rescue takeover.

The Journal approached Wilko to specifically ask about the future of the firm’s Leigh store.

In response, a Wilko spokesman said: “All Wilko stores remain open and there have been no store closures announced.”

Wilko chief executive Mark Jackson last week said: “While we can confirm we have had a significant level of interest, including indicative offers that we believe would meet all our financial criteria to recapitalise the business, at present we do not today have an offer that provides the necessary liquidity in the time we have available, given the mounting cash pressures we’re faced with.

“Unfortunately, with this in mind, today we are having to take the difficult decision to file a notice of intention.

“We will continue to progress discussions with interested parties with the aim of completing a transaction which preserves the business and will encourage those interested parties we’re in discussions with to move as fast as possible.

“We continue to believe that our robust turnaround plan, with significant re-stabilisation cost savings in progress, will deliver a profitable Wilko and maximise the significant opportunities that we know exist.”