MORE Wilko stores will reopen as Poundland shops within days.
Wilko’s last remaining sites shut for good and left the high street forever on Sunday, October 8.
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The firm fell into administration on August 10 and since then a flurry of rivals bought a handful of stores.
Among those was discount chain Poundland, which purchased 71 stores and the first are opening in just a few days.
It has already opened 20 stores over the last two weeks.
But the reopenings have been pretty basic to begin as all stores will then receive a full makeover in 2024.
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The shops will mostly include Poundland items but also a selection of Wilko products that weren’t sold during the closing-down sales.
But now, Poundland is opening another nine of these stores on Saturday, October 14, in:
- Church Street, Ripley, Derbyshire
- Deansgate, Bolton
- The Interchange Centre, West Street, Gateshead
- Market Square, Bicester
- Orton Gate Shopping Centre, Peterborough
- Bradfield Road, Sheffield
- Manors Walk Shopping Nall, Cramlington
- Cardiff Street, Aberdare
- Shrewsbury Mall, Market Street, Rugeley
It will come just a week after the brand reopened 10 Wilko sites under its brand on the morning of Saturday, October 7,in:
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- Nottingham Street, Melton Mowbray
- Bank Road, Matlock
- Welsh Street, Chepstow
- The Kimberley Shopping Centre, Greens Lane, Nottingham,
- High Street, Worcester
- Civic Way, Marina Walk, Ellesmere Port
- Cary Lane, Brigg
- Fore Street, Redruth
- Victoria Road, Ferndown
- Crane Street, Torfaen, Pontypool, South Wales
It come days after Poundland reopened old Wilko sites on Saturday, September 30 in:
- Broad Street, Stafford
- Pendle Rise Shopping Centre, Nelson
- The Peel Centre, Great Portwood Street, Stockport
- The Mall, Church Street, Eccles
- 36-40 London Street, Southport
- Lord Street, Leigh
- 22/28 East Street, Barking
- 88-90 High Street, Maidenhead
- 2 -12 Bede Precinct, Viking Centre, Jarrow
- Unit 2 The Broadway, Scunthorpe
Darren Kay, Poundland’s retail director, said: “We’re moving at pace because we know how important opening these stores are to local communities.
“While stores will get more extensive refits in next year, we’re proud that another nine former Wilko stores will begin their Poundland journeys this coming weekend.”
Poundland aims to open all the former Wilko stores it bought by the end of 2023.
The Range recently snapped up the Wilko brand, including the name and website, in a £5million deal with administrators.
A message has since appeared on the Wilko website telling customers home delivery is “returning soon”.
An exact date for when the service is returning is yet to be revealed.
B&M also purchased 51 stores which means more Wilko shops will be reopening in the near future.
It’s not yet confirmed which branches, but previously said it’ll give an update in November.
Wilko stores have been closing across the month of September.
On September 12, 24 Wilko stores closed for good and on Thursday September 14, another 28 stores shut up shop.
Both of Wilko’s warehouses also closed on September 15.
A further 38 stores pulled down their shutters one last time on September 17 and 38 more closed on September 19.
On September 22, nearly 50 branches closed their doors and 37 stores closed their doors for the final time on Tuesday, September 26.
On Sunday, October 8, 2023 the last remaining sites shut for good to completely wipe the face of Wilko from our high streets.
It comes amid a turbulent time for retailers as they close stores across the UK.
Consumers are increasingly turning to online shopping and away from physical branches.
High inflation since last year has meant shoppers’ money isn’t going as far either as they hold off on leisure purchases.
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That, combined with high energy and wage costs, has seen a number of retailers closing stores, including Boots and Iceland.
rend made worse by the coronavirus pandemic.
