Rumour? is Wilko's going into administration?
- Thread starter The Baron
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Just a heads up for everyone. My wife is getting ad's on her Facebook for Joules and Cath Kidston with offers of 80 to 99% off. Like Wilkos, both recently went out of business. These are scams. So, if you start receiving similar offers from 'Wilkos', proceed with caution. Chances are it won't be Wilkos.
Mr_S_Jerusalem
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Went in there (Wilko) today and got an IPA kit for £7.50. Dated 2025. Should’ve bought 2. Bloody hindsight.
And there was a sign outside the front saying they were going into administration and it was an administration sale.
It’s sad, but hey, cheap booze lol
And there was a sign outside the front saying they were going into administration and it was an administration sale.
It’s sad, but hey, cheap booze lol
Birdsnestbrewery
Well-Known Member
I went into my local on Sunday. Same administration sale signs outside. Practically nothing was reduced.
Also no homebrew stuff. Complete waste of time!
Also no homebrew stuff. Complete waste of time!
A fresh rescue bid for Wilko has emerged as efforts to save the retail chain continue.
Private equity firm M2 Capital has confirmed it has made a £90m bid for the business, and has pledged to retain all employees' jobs for two years.
The bid by M2, first reported by the Guardian, is one of several offers being considered by administrators.
Wilko fell into administration earlier this month, putting 12,500 jobs and 400 stores at risk.
The administrators for Wilko, PwC, set a deadline of Friday last week for bids for the chain, and are understood to be reviewing offers over the weekend.
The owner of HMV, Canadian businessman Doug Putman, is also interested in buying some of Wilko's stores.
Wilko, well known for its affordable everyday items, has been struggling with sharp losses and a cash shortage.
The company has faced strong competition from rival chains such as B&M, Poundland, The Range and Home Bargains, as the high cost of living has pushed shoppers to seek out bargains.
There has been speculation that some of those rivals could also be interested in the firm.
BBC News
Private equity firm M2 Capital has confirmed it has made a £90m bid for the business, and has pledged to retain all employees' jobs for two years.
The bid by M2, first reported by the Guardian, is one of several offers being considered by administrators.
Wilko fell into administration earlier this month, putting 12,500 jobs and 400 stores at risk.
The administrators for Wilko, PwC, set a deadline of Friday last week for bids for the chain, and are understood to be reviewing offers over the weekend.
The owner of HMV, Canadian businessman Doug Putman, is also interested in buying some of Wilko's stores.
Wilko, well known for its affordable everyday items, has been struggling with sharp losses and a cash shortage.
The company has faced strong competition from rival chains such as B&M, Poundland, The Range and Home Bargains, as the high cost of living has pushed shoppers to seek out bargains.
There has been speculation that some of those rivals could also be interested in the firm.
BBC News
The end of the road for Wilko -
Hundreds of staff at Wilko will lose their jobs at the collapsed chain over the coming days with more redundancies to follow, administrators have said.
The cuts come after a bid from M2 Capital to buy the business fell through when private equity firm failed to file paperwork in time.
PwC, which is overseeing Wilko's sale, said it was it was clear there was no viable offer to buy the whole business.
But talks are ongoing with the owner of HMV which could save about 300 shops.
It is understood that PwC is still in discussions with Doug Putman about a deal for part of the company. Reports suggest thousands of jobs could be saved if an agreement is made.
The discount chain, a stalwart of the High Street, fell into administration in August putting 12,500 jobs at risk across 400 shops.
Administrators at PwC said on Thursday that 269 jobs at the chain's support centre in Worksop and 14 others from a subsidiary firm of Wilko would be cut at the close of business on Monday 4 September.
Further redundancies at its two distribution centres in Worksop and Newport are to begin from early next week, but numbers have not been confirmed.
PwC said all of the chain's stores are currently trading and remain open, while "discussions continue with those interested in buying parts of the business".
Sky News reported that Mr Putman, a Canadian billionaire, was finalising a rescue deal.
Mr Putman has rescued faltering brands in the past. In 2019, his company Sunrise Records bought HMV and saved some 1,500 jobs and around 100 stores.
The businessman's family also own Toys R Us in Canada.
The GMB union, which represents about 4,000 Wilko staff, said it remained hopeful for a bid from a viable buyer to save the jobs of employees in stores and online, but warned "we cannot in any way guarantee this and must therefore continue to prepare for the worst".
The union said the majority of people working in Wilko's commercial trading team, IT, finance, legal and Human Resources would be made redundant on Monday.
It said it had requested redundancies at distribution centres to "begin with volunteers" and that it was speaking to Bassetlaw District Council, the Welsh Assembly, and other organisations to try to "save the sites".
"It should be stressed that at this point, we do not have high hopes of doing so but we will not stop working on this and hope that even if we are unable to do so prior to closures, we will actively look to keep members' details in the hope of being able to staff up quickly if we find buyers or new tenants for the sites," a GMB statement said.
Wilko stepped into the gap on the High Street left by the collapse of Woolworths in late 2008, but has struggled over the past decade partly due to growing competition from the likes of Poundland and B&M.
Many of Wilko's stores are also on High Streets in traditional town centres, which became an expensive liability as customers shifted to bigger retail parks and out-of-town locations.
The company, which was founded in Leicester in 1930, was family-run until its collapse this month and is well-known for its affordable everyday items.
Job cuts at the chain were suspended in recent days as PwC considered M2 Capital's bid for the entire business, which was submitted last week.
M2 Capital said it made a £90m bid for Wilko and claimed at the weekend that it would retain all employees' roles for two years.
However, it is believed that the private equity firm was unable to provide proof of funding for its bid to administrators prior to a deadline on Wednesday.
During a conversation littered with expletives, M2 Capital chairman Robert Mantse told the BBC that his dealings with the administrators had been a "circus" and accused PwC of being "beyond unfair".
He said M2 is now considering legal action. Asked what his next steps would be, Mr Mantse replied he was "going to lunch with a very pretty girl".
There has also been speculation that Wilko's rivals, such as B&M, Poundland and The Range could be interested in the firm.
Those retailers, along with Home Bargains, have created strong competition for Wilko in recent years as the high cost of living has pushed shoppers to seek out bargains.
Poundland and B&M declined to comment
Michael Race
Business reporter, BBC News
Hundreds of staff at Wilko will lose their jobs at the collapsed chain over the coming days with more redundancies to follow, administrators have said.
The cuts come after a bid from M2 Capital to buy the business fell through when private equity firm failed to file paperwork in time.
PwC, which is overseeing Wilko's sale, said it was it was clear there was no viable offer to buy the whole business.
But talks are ongoing with the owner of HMV which could save about 300 shops.
It is understood that PwC is still in discussions with Doug Putman about a deal for part of the company. Reports suggest thousands of jobs could be saved if an agreement is made.
The discount chain, a stalwart of the High Street, fell into administration in August putting 12,500 jobs at risk across 400 shops.
Administrators at PwC said on Thursday that 269 jobs at the chain's support centre in Worksop and 14 others from a subsidiary firm of Wilko would be cut at the close of business on Monday 4 September.
Further redundancies at its two distribution centres in Worksop and Newport are to begin from early next week, but numbers have not been confirmed.
PwC said all of the chain's stores are currently trading and remain open, while "discussions continue with those interested in buying parts of the business".
Sky News reported that Mr Putman, a Canadian billionaire, was finalising a rescue deal.
Mr Putman has rescued faltering brands in the past. In 2019, his company Sunrise Records bought HMV and saved some 1,500 jobs and around 100 stores.
The businessman's family also own Toys R Us in Canada.
The GMB union, which represents about 4,000 Wilko staff, said it remained hopeful for a bid from a viable buyer to save the jobs of employees in stores and online, but warned "we cannot in any way guarantee this and must therefore continue to prepare for the worst".
The union said the majority of people working in Wilko's commercial trading team, IT, finance, legal and Human Resources would be made redundant on Monday.
It said it had requested redundancies at distribution centres to "begin with volunteers" and that it was speaking to Bassetlaw District Council, the Welsh Assembly, and other organisations to try to "save the sites".
"It should be stressed that at this point, we do not have high hopes of doing so but we will not stop working on this and hope that even if we are unable to do so prior to closures, we will actively look to keep members' details in the hope of being able to staff up quickly if we find buyers or new tenants for the sites," a GMB statement said.
Wilko stepped into the gap on the High Street left by the collapse of Woolworths in late 2008, but has struggled over the past decade partly due to growing competition from the likes of Poundland and B&M.
Many of Wilko's stores are also on High Streets in traditional town centres, which became an expensive liability as customers shifted to bigger retail parks and out-of-town locations.
The company, which was founded in Leicester in 1930, was family-run until its collapse this month and is well-known for its affordable everyday items.
Job cuts at the chain were suspended in recent days as PwC considered M2 Capital's bid for the entire business, which was submitted last week.
M2 Capital said it made a £90m bid for Wilko and claimed at the weekend that it would retain all employees' roles for two years.
However, it is believed that the private equity firm was unable to provide proof of funding for its bid to administrators prior to a deadline on Wednesday.
During a conversation littered with expletives, M2 Capital chairman Robert Mantse told the BBC that his dealings with the administrators had been a "circus" and accused PwC of being "beyond unfair".
He said M2 is now considering legal action. Asked what his next steps would be, Mr Mantse replied he was "going to lunch with a very pretty girl".
There has also been speculation that Wilko's rivals, such as B&M, Poundland and The Range could be interested in the firm.
Those retailers, along with Home Bargains, have created strong competition for Wilko in recent years as the high cost of living has pushed shoppers to seek out bargains.
Poundland and B&M declined to comment
Michael Race
Business reporter, BBC News
![BREWING THERMOMETER STICKERS ACCURATELY MONITOR FERMENTING BEER & WINE LIQUID TEMPERATURES 5PCS HOME BREW SPIRITS WINE LCD ADHESIVE [US]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/311DDjo2X3L._SL500_.jpg)
51 stores to be saved by B&M -
Discount chain B&M has agreed to buy dozens of shops from the collapsed retailer Wilko, as talks over a bigger rescue deal hang in the balance.
B&M said it will take on up to 51 of Wilko's 400 stores in a deal worth £13m.
Wilko fell into administration in August as it struggled with sharp losses and a cash shortage.
It is understood that a deal tabled by HMV's owner has stalled over issues with suppliers and funding.
Wilko was founded in 1930 and by the 1990s became one of Britain's fastest-growing retailers.
But the discount chain has faced strong competition from rivals including B&M, Poundland and Home Bargains, as the high cost of living has pushed shoppers to seek out bargains.
Wilko's stores remain open for now as it seeks a buyer for a bigger chunk of the estate, but more than 12,500 jobs were put at risk by the collapse.
The first redundancies - 269 jobs at Wilko's support centre in Worksop and 14 others at a subsidiary firm - started on Monday.
B&M has not confirmed which Wilko shops it has bought, or how many posts could be saved as a result of the deal.
The money raised by the sale will help recover funds for Wilko's creditors, as administrators PwC oversee the running of the business with all of its associated costs such as employee wages.
Retail expert Catherine Shuttleworth said the deal would also allow B&M to attract more customers. The chain has stepped up its expansion plans in the wake of the pandemic, opening 21 new stores in the last financial year.
"This may also create local jobs for Wilko colleagues in the newly-owned stores," Ms Shuttleworth said.
Several retailers and investors have reportedly been in talks with PwC about potentially buying Wilko's shops or online brand.
At the end of last week, Canadian billionaire Doug Putman was thought to be edging closer to a deal to buy up to 300 shops. In 2019, his company Sunrise Records bought the collapsed music chain HMV and saved some 1,500 jobs and about 100 stores.
That takeover resulted in redundancies and shop closures, including the company's flagship Oxford Street store in London - but following a major turnaround, plans are in place to reopen it later this year.
Mr Putman's plan to buy Wilko is still "live", a source familiar with the situation told the BBC, but the businessman is apparently struggling to nail down final funding for the deal.
They said everything possible was being done to give Mr Putman's bid its "best shot" and that discussions could continue for another few weeks.
If Mr Putman's bid fails Wilko will likely go into what is called liquidation, with rival retailers picking up parcels of stores.
Bill Grimsey, former boss of Wickes and Iceland, told the BBC's Wake Up to Money programme that he felt a sense of "déjà vu" when looking at Wilko's performance in recent years.
"It's Woolworth's all over again," he said, likening it to the once popular High Street chain which went bust in 2008.
"It's seen a loss of identity, it's got too many stores in the wrong place and competitors are racing ahead… They've been caught napping for the last 10 years."
Many Wilko shops are in High Street locations in traditional town centres. While these locations are convenient for shoppers without cars, since the pandemic there's been a shift to bigger retail parks and out-of-town options with more space, benefiting Wilko rivals like B&M and Poundland.
BBC News.
Discount chain B&M has agreed to buy dozens of shops from the collapsed retailer Wilko, as talks over a bigger rescue deal hang in the balance.
B&M said it will take on up to 51 of Wilko's 400 stores in a deal worth £13m.
Wilko fell into administration in August as it struggled with sharp losses and a cash shortage.
It is understood that a deal tabled by HMV's owner has stalled over issues with suppliers and funding.
Wilko was founded in 1930 and by the 1990s became one of Britain's fastest-growing retailers.
But the discount chain has faced strong competition from rivals including B&M, Poundland and Home Bargains, as the high cost of living has pushed shoppers to seek out bargains.
Wilko's stores remain open for now as it seeks a buyer for a bigger chunk of the estate, but more than 12,500 jobs were put at risk by the collapse.
The first redundancies - 269 jobs at Wilko's support centre in Worksop and 14 others at a subsidiary firm - started on Monday.
B&M has not confirmed which Wilko shops it has bought, or how many posts could be saved as a result of the deal.
The money raised by the sale will help recover funds for Wilko's creditors, as administrators PwC oversee the running of the business with all of its associated costs such as employee wages.
Retail expert Catherine Shuttleworth said the deal would also allow B&M to attract more customers. The chain has stepped up its expansion plans in the wake of the pandemic, opening 21 new stores in the last financial year.
"This may also create local jobs for Wilko colleagues in the newly-owned stores," Ms Shuttleworth said.
Several retailers and investors have reportedly been in talks with PwC about potentially buying Wilko's shops or online brand.
At the end of last week, Canadian billionaire Doug Putman was thought to be edging closer to a deal to buy up to 300 shops. In 2019, his company Sunrise Records bought the collapsed music chain HMV and saved some 1,500 jobs and about 100 stores.
That takeover resulted in redundancies and shop closures, including the company's flagship Oxford Street store in London - but following a major turnaround, plans are in place to reopen it later this year.
Mr Putman's plan to buy Wilko is still "live", a source familiar with the situation told the BBC, but the businessman is apparently struggling to nail down final funding for the deal.
The source said it was a complicated deal to stitch together, including sorting out terms with all-important suppliers to fill the shelves.They said everything possible was being done to give Mr Putman's bid its "best shot" and that discussions could continue for another few weeks.
If Mr Putman's bid fails Wilko will likely go into what is called liquidation, with rival retailers picking up parcels of stores.
Bill Grimsey, former boss of Wickes and Iceland, told the BBC's Wake Up to Money programme that he felt a sense of "déjà vu" when looking at Wilko's performance in recent years.
"It's Woolworth's all over again," he said, likening it to the once popular High Street chain which went bust in 2008.
"It's seen a loss of identity, it's got too many stores in the wrong place and competitors are racing ahead… They've been caught napping for the last 10 years."
Many Wilko shops are in High Street locations in traditional town centres. While these locations are convenient for shoppers without cars, since the pandemic there's been a shift to bigger retail parks and out-of-town options with more space, benefiting Wilko rivals like B&M and Poundland.
BBC News.
The owner of Poundland has agreed to take on the leases of dozens of Wilko shops.
Pepco Group, which owns Poundland in the UK, is expected to convert up to 71 Wilko stores to the Poundland brand.
Poundland boss Barry Williams said it recognised the last few weeks had been difficult for Wilko workers.
In a statement, the company said that Wilko staff would have priority when applying for new jobs at the Poundland shops.
Wilko fell into administration in August as it struggled with sharp losses and a cash shortage.
It was founded in 1930 and by the 1990s became one of Britain's fastest-growing retailers.
But the discount chain has faced strong competition from rivals including B&M, Poundland and Home Bargains, as the high cost of living has pushed shoppers to seek out bargains.
The first shop closures are taking place on Tuesday after administrators PwC failed to find a buyer for the bulk of the business.
Mr Williams, the managing director of Poundland, said in the coming weeks it would work quickly with landlords to get its new shops open.
It said that the announcement would mark some "positive news for customers and those high streets that faced the loss of an important retailer".
Rival B&M has also agreed to buy 51 of Wilko's buildings in a £13m deal, but it is understood the stores will not be run under the Wilko brand.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66789546
Pepco Group, which owns Poundland in the UK, is expected to convert up to 71 Wilko stores to the Poundland brand.
Poundland boss Barry Williams said it recognised the last few weeks had been difficult for Wilko workers.
In a statement, the company said that Wilko staff would have priority when applying for new jobs at the Poundland shops.
Wilko fell into administration in August as it struggled with sharp losses and a cash shortage.
It was founded in 1930 and by the 1990s became one of Britain's fastest-growing retailers.
But the discount chain has faced strong competition from rivals including B&M, Poundland and Home Bargains, as the high cost of living has pushed shoppers to seek out bargains.
The first shop closures are taking place on Tuesday after administrators PwC failed to find a buyer for the bulk of the business.
Mr Williams, the managing director of Poundland, said in the coming weeks it would work quickly with landlords to get its new shops open.
It said that the announcement would mark some "positive news for customers and those high streets that faced the loss of an important retailer".
Rival B&M has also agreed to buy 51 of Wilko's buildings in a £13m deal, but it is understood the stores will not be run under the Wilko brand.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66789546
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...but most of of the Wilkos are closing, it's just vultures fighting over the scraps now.
Popped into the High Wycombe branch today, staff were already cordoning off cleared sections, steady stream of shoppers. A couple of chats with staff - everyone resigned this is the end of the company and their jobs. All one could do was wish them all the best ....
I doubt those who will still have a job next week will care.
The Range is finalising a £5m deal to buy the Wilko brand after a rescue deal for the wider business fell through.
The agreement, which will be announced later on Wednesday, means it will own Wilko's website and could choose to stock and sell some of its products.
But the deal will not prevent Wilko shops disappearing from Britain's High Streets, with 400 stores to close by early October.
Thousands of staff will likely lose their jobs as a result of the closures.
Wilko's rivals have been snapping up parts of the company since administrators were unable to find a buyer for the whole business.
Retail analyst Catherine Shuttleworth said buying the brand was "a smart move".
"The challenge with Wilko was never about the brand itself but about how the business was run. So buying the brand is potentially a really smart move for the Range if they can use it to their advantage across their estate either on line or in branding stores in particular geographies."
The company, founded in 1930 and a stalwart of High Streets up and down the country, fell into administration in August as it struggled with sharp losses and a cash shortage.
The billionaire owner of HMV, Doug Putman, initially hoped to keep as many as 300 Wilko shops open, but his bid failed and no other bidders were interested in running the shops under the Wilko name.
On Tuesday, the owner of Poundland agreed a deal to take on the leases of about 71 Wilko shops, which will reopen under its own brand.
Another rival B&M has also agreed to buy 51 of Wilko's shops in a £13m deal.
However redundancies are still likely for most of the 12,500 staff at the family-owned business.
So far, 1,016 redundancies have been announced at stores that are closing.
Another 299 redundancies have taken place at its two distribution centres in Worksop and Newport, which will close on Friday next week, while more than 260 redundancies have been made at its support centre.
BBC news
The agreement, which will be announced later on Wednesday, means it will own Wilko's website and could choose to stock and sell some of its products.
But the deal will not prevent Wilko shops disappearing from Britain's High Streets, with 400 stores to close by early October.
Thousands of staff will likely lose their jobs as a result of the closures.
Wilko's rivals have been snapping up parts of the company since administrators were unable to find a buyer for the whole business.
Retail analyst Catherine Shuttleworth said buying the brand was "a smart move".
"The challenge with Wilko was never about the brand itself but about how the business was run. So buying the brand is potentially a really smart move for the Range if they can use it to their advantage across their estate either on line or in branding stores in particular geographies."
The company, founded in 1930 and a stalwart of High Streets up and down the country, fell into administration in August as it struggled with sharp losses and a cash shortage.
The billionaire owner of HMV, Doug Putman, initially hoped to keep as many as 300 Wilko shops open, but his bid failed and no other bidders were interested in running the shops under the Wilko name.
On Tuesday, the owner of Poundland agreed a deal to take on the leases of about 71 Wilko shops, which will reopen under its own brand.
Another rival B&M has also agreed to buy 51 of Wilko's shops in a £13m deal.
However redundancies are still likely for most of the 12,500 staff at the family-owned business.
So far, 1,016 redundancies have been announced at stores that are closing.
Another 299 redundancies have taken place at its two distribution centres in Worksop and Newport, which will close on Friday next week, while more than 260 redundancies have been made at its support centre.
BBC news
Follow up to the demise of Wilko:
BBC Radio 4's "File on 4" feature "Wilko Town" - available on BBC Sounds.
Didn't realise Worksop (hello members!) was Wilko town.
BBC Radio 4's "File on 4" feature "Wilko Town" - available on BBC Sounds.
Didn't realise Worksop (hello members!) was Wilko town.
Wilko is back apparently,
No homebrew supplies in stock as yet, anyone ITK know if it will make a comeback.
https://www.wilko.com/
No homebrew supplies in stock as yet, anyone ITK know if it will make a comeback.
https://www.wilko.com/
The range have bought the Wilko brand and website. Said they'd be keeping some Wilko branded stuff too.
Cheers Tom
I cannot find any detail of stores open on the site so wonder if they intend to reopen the ones in town where there is no Range store.
Plymouth & Exeter to open before Xmas
https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/corporate/wilko-stores-will-return
The new wilko stores will offer shoppers everything they need to get all their homes and garden jobs done - wilko-brand products that simply help alongside well-known brands. And, for the first time in the brand’s history, wilko stores are planned for Northern Ireland.
Following the re-launch of wilko.com and the announcement that wilko products are to be sold in The Range’s 200 stores, what quickly became clear is that wilko still has a continued role to play in people’s everyday lives.
The new stores will offer great value items across categories including cleaning and household, decorating and DIY, garden and outdoor, homeware, pets and wildlife, storage, seasonal celebrations such as Christmas, and more. Customers will also be able to self-serve the full wilko.com range for home delivery (over 100,000 items) using in-store terminals.
The store concept has strong foundations - the best of what wilko as a brand that people know, love and trust had to offer, including our advanced own-brand capabilities and expanding digital marketplace, blended with the operational efficiencies of The Range, its buying expertise and infrastructure.
So, between The Range and wilko, consumers will be able to shop all the things they need wherever, whenever and whichever way suits.
CEO of CDS Superstores, trading as The Range and wilko, Alex Simpkin said; “For the majority of its 93 years, wilko was an incredibly successful business that gave its customers exactly what they needed to get their home and garden jobs sorted. It was their advanced own-brand capabilities that encouraged us to invest in the brand and wilko.com and, we’re excited to now be selling wilko products online once more and across our 200 stores network.”
‘The public reaction to the loss of wilko stores was undeniable. It’s clear that there’s a huge love for wilko and we’ve seen an encouraging demand for the return of its own-brand products. That’s why we’ve taken the decision to reintroduce wilko back to many of the high streets and communities that it used to so proudly serve.
“Our team from wilko that joined us through the acquisition has shown true resilience, they’ve set to work to integrate the best parts of wilko into The Range’s operational systems. We’re expanding that team every day with new wilko hires and can’t wait to extend that back out to local communities.
“We’ll endeavour to give ex-wilko employees priority as a part of the recruitment process for the new stores.”
The CDS Superstores property team is encouraging landlords across the UK to open productive conversations if they’re interested in being considered for the wilko roll-out programme.
27 October 2023
https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/corporate/wilko-stores-will-return
WILKO STORES WILL RETURN
We’re set to make a return to UK high streets and retail parks
Ahead of a national roll-out across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, five stand-alone concept stores will open before Christmas 2023. Our first two locations will be Plymouth and Exeter closely followed by two locations in the South-East and one in the North to be announced imminently.The new wilko stores will offer shoppers everything they need to get all their homes and garden jobs done - wilko-brand products that simply help alongside well-known brands. And, for the first time in the brand’s history, wilko stores are planned for Northern Ireland.
Following the re-launch of wilko.com and the announcement that wilko products are to be sold in The Range’s 200 stores, what quickly became clear is that wilko still has a continued role to play in people’s everyday lives.
The new stores will offer great value items across categories including cleaning and household, decorating and DIY, garden and outdoor, homeware, pets and wildlife, storage, seasonal celebrations such as Christmas, and more. Customers will also be able to self-serve the full wilko.com range for home delivery (over 100,000 items) using in-store terminals.
The store concept has strong foundations - the best of what wilko as a brand that people know, love and trust had to offer, including our advanced own-brand capabilities and expanding digital marketplace, blended with the operational efficiencies of The Range, its buying expertise and infrastructure.
So, between The Range and wilko, consumers will be able to shop all the things they need wherever, whenever and whichever way suits.
CEO of CDS Superstores, trading as The Range and wilko, Alex Simpkin said; “For the majority of its 93 years, wilko was an incredibly successful business that gave its customers exactly what they needed to get their home and garden jobs sorted. It was their advanced own-brand capabilities that encouraged us to invest in the brand and wilko.com and, we’re excited to now be selling wilko products online once more and across our 200 stores network.”
‘The public reaction to the loss of wilko stores was undeniable. It’s clear that there’s a huge love for wilko and we’ve seen an encouraging demand for the return of its own-brand products. That’s why we’ve taken the decision to reintroduce wilko back to many of the high streets and communities that it used to so proudly serve.
“Our team from wilko that joined us through the acquisition has shown true resilience, they’ve set to work to integrate the best parts of wilko into The Range’s operational systems. We’re expanding that team every day with new wilko hires and can’t wait to extend that back out to local communities.
“We’ll endeavour to give ex-wilko employees priority as a part of the recruitment process for the new stores.”
The CDS Superstores property team is encouraging landlords across the UK to open productive conversations if they’re interested in being considered for the wilko roll-out programme.
27 October 2023
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Whilst some stuff on their website is available to "Add to Basket", all the homebrew stuff is listed as "Email when in stock", so I guess at the very least, they haven't negotiated a supply deal with Muntons yet.
Looks like after the dust has settled Homebrew is no longer a thing for Wilkos anymore.
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On a side note. Wilkos stock is popping up on The Range
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