Wilko stores in Gwynedd will close after all, it has been announced today.

It was thought staff at Gwynedd's Porthmadog and Pwllheli stores, as well as Carmarthen (the other Wilko store in the Cambrian News region) would be saved when their branches were left off a list of stores set to close this week.

But it has been announced today, Monday, 11 September, that all 400 Wilko stores will close for good after a rescue deal for the troubled chain fell through.

HMV had been in talks to rescue stores, but this deal has failed.

All 400 branches are expected to close by early October. The closures across the country will "likely" lead to the loss of all 12,500 jobs at the chain, according to the GMB.

The union said it was told by administrators PwC this morning that the rescue deal had fallen through .

The GMB said it meant it was "likely" all of Wilko's staff would now be made redundant.

The homeware retailer filed a notice of intent (NOI) last month to appoint administrators – putting 12,500 jobs at risk across its 400 stores in the UK.

CEO Mark Jackson said then: “We’ve all fought hard to keep this incredible business intact but must concede that time has run out and now, we must do what’s best to preserve as many jobs as possible, for as long as is possible, by working with our appointed administrators.”