Wilko to open new store in Rotherham as part of national relaunch

Wilko returned to the high street last month with the opening of two new shops in Plymouth and Exeter as it relaunched following its dramatic failure.

Last year, the retailer shut its 400 UK shops after tumbling into administration in the face of hefty debts and weak consumer spending. Almost all of Wilko’s 12,500 workers were made redundant as a result. Administrators for the business sold off a raft of the company’s assets, including up to 71 stores to become Poundland shops, and up to 51 stores to reopen under rival discounter B&M.

The process also saw the parent firm of The Range, CDS Superstores, buy the Wilko brand for £5m. It has already relaunched the Wilko.com online platform and started selling products under the Wilko brand within The Range shops.

The new owners said the relaunched stores will stock the retail brand’s traditional homeware and garden products, with a 20 per cent wider range of items.

A spokesman said launch dates for the stores in Rotherham and St Albans will be in spring 2024, with exact timings to be announced shortly, alongside news of further store openings.

Alex Simpkin, the chief executive of CDS Superstores, trading as The Range and Wilko, said: “The initial reaction to the new concept stores has been even better than we’d hoped, we’ve seen queues of both returning and new customers at the store launches and the feedback is giving us the confidence we need to continue with our store opening plans.

“We’re in advanced negotiations with a number of landlords and are continuing to review all options as a part of our roll-out plan.

"Any interested agents or landlords should get in touch. We’ll continue to endeavour to give ex-Wilko employees priority as a p art of the recruitment process for the new stores.”