Staff from Ipswich's Wilko shut up shop for the last time on Thursday – but not without a parting shot at the 'family firm' whose collapse has left them out of work.

Most were wearing company polo shirts with a hidden motif in the collar showing what they thought of Lisa Wilkinson, whose family took £77million in dividends from the company over the last 10 years.

Ipswich Star: Ipswich Wilko staff show off their blunt messageIpswich Wilko staff show off their blunt message (Image: Newsquest)

Among those leaving work at the Upper Brook Street store for the last time on Thursday were Paul Sharpe, Louise Smith and Anna McCulloch who have been at the store since it opened in 1998.

Tracey Cook also worked there from day one - but was not on shift on the final day.

Ipswich Star: Paul Sharp, Louise Smith and Anna McCulloch have worked at Wilkos since its opening day in 1998,Paul Sharp, Louise Smith and Anna McCulloch have worked at Wilkos since its opening day in 1998, (Image: Paul Geater)

The staff members did nothing to hide their bitterness at how the company had collapsed over the last two months, as well as the news that the Wilkinson family had benefitted from millions of pounds in dividends.

Ms McCulloch said: "They call themselves a 'family firm' but I didn't think this was how family firms are supposed to behave!"

Ipswich Star: All the staff wore shirts showing how long they had worked in the store.All the staff wore shirts showing how long they had worked in the store. (Image: Paul Geater)

The staff wore shirts showing how long they had worked for the firm - including the three who had been there on the first and last day.

Ms McCulloch added: "We got this all going and now we're closing it down!"

Ipswich Star: The shelves were empty on Wilko's last day in Ipswich.The shelves were empty on Wilko's last day in Ipswich. (Image: Paul Geater)

The shelves were very bare on the last day - the upstairs was closed off and much of the ground floor was also blocked.

Everything was for sale and the shop was full of customers keen for a last visit or who hoped to find a final bargain.

Some stores have been bought by B&M or Poundland – but with both of those chains already open in Ipswich town centre there appears to be little prospect of an immediate reopening for the Upper Brook Street store.

The Ipswich store is one of the last Wilko stores to shut. The Bury St Edmunds store closed in mid September and there has been speculation that Lidl could take on the former supermarket.

In Ipswich the store was originally built for clothing company C&A and when that moved to the Buttermarket Centre in 1992 music store MVC moved in.

Ipswich Star: The store opened as Wilkinson - and a few years later opened seven days a week.The store opened as Wilkinson - and a few years later opened seven days a week. (Image: Newsquest)

That business went into administration in the late 1990s but it was not long until the current owner, then going by the name of Wilkinson, moved in.

There are hopes that a new tenant might soon be found for what has always been a popular site for retailers – but with several other large units also vacant in the town centre it could stay shut for some time.

Wilko went into administration on August 10 after rescue talks collapsed and insolvency specialists PWC took control.

There were reports of consortia trying to take it over – including a group headed by the owner of HMV – but these all came to nothing.

Some stores have been bought out by rivals, but the majority have closed or are due to close by the middle of October.