Jump directly to the content

WILKO is set to open new stores in just days meaning more chances for bargain hunters to bag a deal before Easter.

The much-loved discounter is opening up two new stores this week as it continues to make its comeback to the high street.

Wilko continues to make its comeback to the high street opening more stores this week
1
Wilko continues to make its comeback to the high street opening more stores this week

Shoppers were heartbroken when the chain fell into administration last year and all 400 shops closed down.

However, since then, new Wilko stores have been popping up much to the delight of its loyal fans.

In December, locations opened up in Plymouth, Exeter and Luton, and this week the retailer will cut the ribbon on stores in St Albans and Rotherham.

Both stores are due to open on Friday, March 29, at 9am just in time for the Easter weekend.

Read more on Money

The St Albans store will be located on The Maltings, and the Rotherham store is opening in Parkgate Shopping Park.

Last year, CDS Superstores, who trade as The Range stepped in and bought the Wilko brand and its website.

Initially, there was no talk of physical stores opening up again, and it was thought that the brand would just continue online.

However, in a dramatic turn of events the company announced that it would be opening up physical Wilko stores again.

The retailer opened up the three new locations just before Christmas, with the promise of more to come in 2024.

As well as the two latest store openings in St Albans and Rotherham, the retailer has also revealed that its next store will be in Poole, Dorset.

Inside a brand new Wilko store open in time for Christmas with decorations that look just like expensive John Lewis ones

Work is expected to begin soon at the Dolphin Centre site and the store opening date will be announced shortly after.

Wilko is also set to be "bigger and better" than before and popular features like next-day delivery and flexible payment terms will be re-enabled.

Full list of Wilko stores re-opening

A TOTAL of six new Wilko locations have been named so far.

Three have already opened their doors over the past few months, while the others are set to cut the ribbon over the next few months.

Here is the full list of site which have been announced so far and when they opened or are due to open:

  • Unit A, Armada Centre, Mayflower Street, Plymouth - December 1, 2023
  • Unit 100, Guildhall Shopping Centre, Exeter - December 1, 2023
  • 141/147 Arndale Centre, Luton - December 8, 2023
  • The Maltings, St Albans - March 29
  • Parkgate Shopping Park, Rotherham - March 29
  • The Dolphin Centre, Poole - TBC

Alex Simpkin, chief executive officer of Wilko said that the initial reaction to the new concept stores was "better than they could have hoped for."

He added that the feedback from customers was ";giving us the confidence we need to continue with our store opening plans."

Wilko also promised that it would "endeavour to give ex-Wilko employees priority as a part of the recruitment process for the new stores.”

Other retailers also stepped in to buy up some of the ex-Wilko premises last year, including rival discounter Poundland.

It snapped up 71 store locations and managed to have them all re-opened as Poundland by Christmas.

B&M also agreed to buy up to 51 locations as part of a £13million deal and has since opened several.

What else has been happening on the high street?

There is more than one comeback kid on the high street as other brands that collapsed last year have started to make a return.

Clothing retailer M&Co fell into administration for the second time in two years in December 2022.

M&Co's brand and intellectual property were sold to Yours Clothing.

In June last year, the brand announced that it is planning to open 50 physical M&Co stores over the next two years in a surprise turnaround.

The stores were set to open in autumn but this has been delayed so far.

It's not yet clear where the stores will be located or when they will open their doors but we'll keep you updated.

Quirky stationery chain Paperchase has also returned to shops after closing all 134 stores earlier this year.

Although the physical shops have not reopened, the brand can be found in certain Tesco supermarkets and on the Tesco website.

Meanwhile, Made.com has also made a comeback after it was rescued from administration by fashion giant Next.

Made, which employed around 600 people, sold its brand, website, and intellectual property to the clothing and homewares retailer.

Now, Made.com has opened its first brick-and-mortar store since being acquired.

The new 4,000 sq ft store opened last week on Vulcan Road, Sheffield, with products having previously only been available to buy online.

High street retailers have been feeling the pinch in recent years as shoppers struggle with cost of living and cut back on spending.

Many big names are making changes and some stores have already been earmarked for closure in 2024.

We have the full list of retailers we know about that are set to close in 2024.

Retailers closing stores in 2024

RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.

High energy costs and a move to shopping online are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.

Here's a list of all the big-name brands closing stores this year:

  • Argos - The brand announced plans to close 100 standalone UK branches last year as it looks to move away from the high street and focus on expanding its presence in supermarkets.
  • B&Q - The chain has over 300 shops across the UK, so chances are you have one near you, but some stores have closed in recent months.
  • Boots - The health and beauty chain announced that it would be closing 300 stores last July. Closures are ongoing and this will see the retailer's estate reduced from 2,200 to 1,900 shops.
  • Clintons - Clintons mulled plans to close 38 shops in a bid to avoid insolvency late last year. We've listed the stores affected.
  • Costa Coffee - The caffeine giant has around 2,000 sites nationwide, so chances are you'll have one near you. The chain has shut the doors to dozens of its sites recently. We've revealed which stores are due to close this year.
  • Iceland - The supermarket has more than 900 stores but closed nearly two dozen sites in 2023, and more selected shops are due to shut.
  • Lidl - The supermarket, which has 950 stores, is changing up shop locations, which has meant that some stores have to close. But the retailer is also looking to open 12 new supermarkets.
  • M&S - M&S, which runs 405 stores across the country, has been closing a string of branches across the country in a blow for shoppers. It's not all bad news, though, because the chain also has big plans to open dozens of new shops as well.
  • Trespass - The firm announced in July last year that it was closing six branches, but more are on the way.
  • WHSmith - The retail giant, which runs over 1,100 stores, has shuttered eight stores since March 2023, but more are coming.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

Topics