Wilko set for a High Street return following Brand Acquisition!

The Wilko brand has been purchased and new stores have already already planned in the UK. The concept stores are due to open in early November and although the news was very sad for so many people losing their jobs when the retailer went bust, it is amazing to see a new approach and investment back into our high streets.

Wilko is planning to recruit up to 80 local team members in each store, with the new brand owner, CDS Superstores, which also owns The Range, pledging to prioritise interviews for ex-Wilko employees. Those interested in roles at the store can apply via the jobs page here. However, it does not stop there the CDS group is already on the lookout for new retail space between 20,000 and 45,000 square feet in size.

Where will the new concept stores be?

The new concept stores have been agreed in the below locations:-

• Plymouth, which opens at Unit A, Armada Centre, Mayflower Street, Plymouth, PL1 1QL Opening on 1 December
• Exeter, which opens at Unit 100, Guildhall Shopping Centre, Exeter, EX4 3HP on Opening on 1 December
• Luton, which opens at 141/147 Arndale Centre, Luton, LU1 2TN on Opening on 8 December

The CEO of CDS Superstores, both trading as Wilko and The Range, Alex Simpkin said; “It’s clear that there’s a huge love for Wilko and we’re proud to confirm we’ll be reintroducing the brand to high streets in Plymouth, Exeter and Luton in the coming weeks.

“We’re also glad to be bringing employment opportunities to these towns and for helping local families and communities have easy access to all the everyday home and garden items they need once again.”

“This initial rollout is only the beginning of our plans for revitalising the Wilko brand on the nation’s high streets and retail parks, and we’ll be announcing further store launches and re-openings throughout 2024.”

Two further concept stores are also on the way with the locations unannounced, I do hope to see a new sore pop in my local town.

Where are further new stores planned for Wilko 2024?

In a recent statement “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.” The new Wilko brand owners aim to bring stores back in England, Scotland, and Wales as well as for the first time in Northern Ireland in the below locations:-

England – Where will the new Wilko stores and shops be or planned?

Alnwick Bath Bicester Biggleswade Birkenhead Birmingham Blackpool Blyth Bordon Boston Bournemouth Bradford Brentwood Brighouse Brighton Bristol Bury St Edmunds Cambridge Castleford Chatham Chelmsford Cheltenham Chester

Chesterfield Chippenham Cockermouth Coventry Derby Dewsbury Doncaster Droitwich Dudley Dunstable Durham Ely Epsom Fareham Ferndown Gainsborough Gillingham Grays Great Malvern Grimsby Halesowen Hemel Hempstead Hinckley

Hitchin Huddersfield Hull Huntingdon Ilford Ilkeston Ipswich Kenilworth Kings Lynn Leeds Leicester Leighton Buzzard Lichfield Lincoln Liverpool Loughborough Louth Maidstone Manchester Manchester Market Harborough Matlock Middlesborough

Newark Newbury Newcastle Upon Tyne Northampton Northwich Norwich Nottingham Nuneaton Oakham Oxford Poole Portsmouth Ramsgate Reading Reddich Retford Rochester Rotherham Rushden Scarborough Selby Sheffield Southampton

Southend Spalding St Albans Stoke-on-Trent Stourbridge Sutton in Ashfield Sutton In Surrey Swansea Swindon Tamworth Telford Trowbridge Truro Walsall West Drayton Weymouth Wigston Winsford Wolverhampton Worksop Worthing York

London – Where will the new Wilko stores and shops be or planned?

Bexleyheath Bromley East Ham Harrow Hayes

Hounslow Stratford Tooting Tottenham Uxbridge

Wembley West Ealing Wood Green

Northern Ireland	Scotland	Wales
Ballymena Bangor Belfast Coleraine Craigavon y Lurgan Newry Omagh Enniskillen Londonderry	Aberdeen Ayr Castle Douglas Inverness Edinburgh Glasgow	Abergavenny Merthyr Tydfil Bridgend Dock Cardiff Carmarthen Llanelli Barry Pembroke Porthmadog Swansea

CDS’s Head of Property for the Range and Wilko, Matthias Daly, said: “This is an exciting opportunity, not only for Wilko but for retail landlords nationwide.

“We’re glad to be returning to the high street, driving new jobs, and becoming an integral part of the local community once again. We welcome landlord support in bringing this growth plan to life and look forward to discussions with potential partners as our store opening plans progress.”

If you’re a retail landlord who wants to join Wilko on this growth trajectory, they’re seeking introductions to units between 20,000 and 45,000 square feet in size.

Any landlords who have retail space in these areas are encouraged to contact Matthias Daly or Sharon Jones at property@therange.co.uk for more information on how they can help the rebirth of Wilko.

What do I hope to see from the new Wilko?

I personally first and foremost want to see retail units filled, to help bring back the British high street and create jobs The Range has the experience and leadership to do this so I am hoping for the best. Secondly, as most people, we want quality and value to return to Wilko, It is not enough just to bring back the brand it’s important to go back to the business’s routes again The Range team is in an excellent place to do this.

I hope the new Wilko team enjoy their journey #lovewilko – Money Lad