Rumour? is Wilko's going into administration?

[Branny]

Over Xmas I visited both Wilko's at Bolton Middlebrook and Preston (nr Deepdale I think) as I wanted light DME. Not a single homebrew item (beer or wine) in either and no attempt to fill the gap with anything else.

I'm more surprised that Boots is still open, only thing I ever see people buying is a meal deal or prescription or heading to the methadone room.

 

[Anglezarke]

Called in Wilko Accrington a couple of weeks ago on way to Specsavers. Homebrew section virtually empty.

 

[Polcho]

We have two here, I went in today after the last job, for a bag of screws. Nothing there, the home brew section has always been scant though. Pretty busy.

 

[Jimboscott]

Feels like only a matter of time, competition, online shopping and a poor expansion approach have all had a negative impact. In fact, within a 15 minute drive of my house, there are 4 Wilko's - Kimberley, Giltbrook, Sutton in Ashfield and Mansfield - and they're just the ones I know of!

 

[micklupulo]

Called in Wilko Accrington a couple of weeks ago on way to Specsavers. Homebrew section virtually empty.

The same in Wolverhampton which is a nuisance as I wanted to stock up on their Nottingham yeast.I did an online stock search of nearby towns and none there either. Good while it lasted and at least I know before visiting Dark Rock on Monday which fortunately is only 30 minutes away.

 

[Guzzie]

I was in Wilko Altrincham at lunch time today to buy some onion sets and there was plenty of seed potatoes, onion sets and vegetable seeds. I eventually found the homebrew section!! and was able to buy their express wine yeast. They had pressure barrels, demijohns and empty bottles but only one or two of each beer/wine kit and chemicals. About a third of the shelves said - Sorry out of stock. Would have liked to have bought a Wheat beer kit but there were none in stock. Shame if anything happens to them as a quick trip to Warrington or Altrincham usually solves my immediate needs.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Last time I went into the Warrington store there was hardly any Homebrew stuff.

 

[Jim Brewster]

Same at my local one at the weekend. There used to be yeast, finings, hydrometers, buckets etc, at the weekend there was only a few dented cans of Newkie Brown and the chocolate Stout left, so I assume they're winding it down unfortunately.

 

[MashBag]

The same in Wolverhampton which is a nuisance as I wanted to stock up on their Nottingham yeast.

CML midland is very good.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Yeast go to CML, cheaper and far more choice and no postage, also very fast delivery

 

[barry.morgan71]

It's not just the homebrew section, their paint section has very limited stocks in all the local stores and has done for weeks. Used to be a good store, but nowadays always seem to be short of stock and only ever have one till open trying to force people to use self service checkout, but always some problem on those. Shame.

 

[marshbrewer]

A couple of things, but with the caveat that I have absolutely no idea if Wilkos are in trouble and these are just observations :

I work in the 3PL sector and owning your own distribution centres is fairly unusual these days, my employers have taken over other companies and one of the first things they do is sell any property assets then lease back, as did my previous employers and the two before that. It's standard practice.

Wilkos are closing the Cleethorpes branch I see, but not Louth. Both are a similar size. However, the Clee one is also near two larger stores in Grimsby, so perhaps, like B&M they are just rationalising smaller sites where there is duplication?

Or they could be going tits up.

 

[Sadfield]

B&M they are just rationalising smaller sites where there is duplication

Weirdly they've just opened a second here less than a mile way from their other.

 

[eyuptm]

Called in Wilko Accrington a couple of weeks ago on way to Specsavers. Homebrew section virtually empty.

Should've gone AFTER Specsavers, maybe??!!!

 

[eyuptm]

I went into Wilko's Slough last Friday, and bought all 4 Gervin yeasts they had. Not much of owt else tho....

 

[klaus]

The situation at my local branch hasn't changed for weeks, shelve displays seem to be mainly just 1 row deep at the front. So stocking has slowed which together with supply chain issues makes a depressing sight. I wouldn't want to speculate but being a business that relies on footfall with resulting cash inflow (or lack of) they are vulnerable to external shocks as we have seen over the past three years. There's already speculation about the health of the banking sector worldwide on the back of the SVB failure in the US so smallish/weak players in business will struggle.
We used to have a shiny House of Fraser branch, all chrome and glass. Used to be a solid business so we thought. It's now sitting empty.

 

[RichardM]

A couple of things, but with the caveat that I have absolutely no idea if Wilkos are in trouble and these are just observations :

I work in the 3PL sector and owning your own distribution centres is fairly unusual these days, my employers have taken over other companies and one of the first things they do is sell any property assets then lease back, as did my previous employers and the two before that. It's standard practice.

Wilkos are closing the Cleethorpes branch I see, but not Louth. Both are a similar size. However, the Clee one is also near two larger stores in Grimsby, so perhaps, like B&M they are just rationalising smaller sites where there is duplication?

Or they could be going **** up.

What is the 3PL sector?

 

[klaus]

What is the 3PL sector?

Judging by the post 3PL = 3rd Party Logistics. Logistics outsourcing, warehousing, order processing and delivery to end customer.

 

[marshbrewer]

Sorry, work jargon. @klaus is correct - 3rd party logistics. Basically, it's where you turn over your supply chain / parts of your supply chain to a third party who specialise in that sort of thing so that you concentrate on your core business.

 

[Steve.]

Saw this article today, suggesting business still going but managing store costs

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/explained/which-wilko-stores-are-closing-full-list/