A local council has been left reeling after the council made the decision to buy a former Wilko store in Carmarthenshire.

Councillor Kevin Madge says that he would have preferred that the money was invested into the Amman Valley.

Carmarthenshire County Council has purchased the former store in Carmarthen and are interested in occupying the site.

However, Cllr Madge is questioning why money is not going into improving schools and enhancing the quality of life in surrounding areas of Carmarthenshire, particularly Ammanford and the Amman Valley.

Cllr Madge said: “I’m quite angry that they found the money to purchase a new business, but they supposedly don’t have the money to invest in schools around the Amman Valley area.

“I challenge them to say what the cost of this Wilko store was. As always, Amman Valley is left behind. Money is always spent in Carmarthen, like the £18 million they previously spent on that Debenham’s store.

“They promised they would invest in schools but haven’t followed it up. Deprived areas like Amman Valley are suffering and yet the council can’t even provide the basics.”

The former Wilko’s at Friars Park has been empty since last October and the supermarket chain had over 400 stores across the UK before it went into administration last August.

There is also a car park surrounding the empty store with 250 spaces, which belongs to the council as a pay and display parking facility.

Cllr Alun Lenny, Cabinet Member for Resources said: “The Wilko store in Carmarthen was amongst the 400 stores which closed last autumn after the company, founded by the Wilkinson family in 1930, became the latest of many leading high street chains to go into administration.

“As in the case of Debenhams, now going through a major redevelopment, the Council is determined not to see the Wilko building, which was originally Tesco’s and in a prime town centre location, being left empty. 

“So, I’m very glad to confirm that the authority has purchased the building from the administrators. We’re currently looking at various options and will be working with interested parties and occupiers to secure its long-term future.”

Wilko initially opened at the 57,599 square feet site in 2006 after Tesco relocated to Carmarthen’s Morfa Lane.

The supermarket chain was founded by the Wilkinson family in 1930 and has gone into administration along many other high street shops since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some of these include stores in Ammanford, such as Poundstretcher which announced it’s closure near the end of 2023 and a Superdrug in Llanelli in September 2023.