B&M to open SIX new locations within weeks including in former Wilko stores – see if one is coming to YOUR high street
B&M is set to open six new locations within weeks including in former Wilko stores.
The retailer has told The Sun it plans on opening the branches across the UK in early 2024.
The discounter is taking on two former Wilko sites in Washington and Porthmadog, Wales.
The branches will open on January 26 and January 18 respectively.
Meanwhile, it is understood to be opening four further sites where Wilko stores were based.
However, exact locations for these new stores have not been revealed so it’s not clear at this stage whether they will be at former Wilko sites.
B&M will open a branch in Harrow on February 10, then another in Arnold on February 21.
Meanwhile, the retailer will pull up the shutters on a branch in Thamesmead on February 22 and Beaumont Lays a day later.
This is the full list of stores opening in the coming weeks:
- Porthmadog – January 18
- Washington – January 26
- Harrow – February 10
- Arnold – February 21
- Thamesmead – February 22
- Beaumont Lays – February 23
It comes after B&M said it would open a branch in Worthing, Sussex, in February or March next year after taking on the lease.
It also announced plans in July to open seven new branches by the close of 2023.
Wilko collapsed into administration in August this year after failing to find a suitable buyer, with all 400 shops closing in October.
Parts of the business were carved up and shared between rival retailers though.
Poundland took on 71 former Wilko stores as part of its own expansion plans.
The first 10 opened on September 30 while a further 10 pulled up their shutters for the first time a day later.
Earlier this month, Pepco announced it was set to open its 64th former Wilko store.
B&M also agreed to take on 51 former Wilko sites as part of a £13million deal.
In September, The Range scooped up the Wilko brand name, which saw the relaunch of Wilko.com the following month.
Speaking to MP’s in a Business and Trade Committee last month, the former chairwoman of Wilko said she was “devastated” at the thousands of staff who lost their jobs following the retailer’s collapse.
Lisa Wilkinson also blamed former prime minister Liz Truss‘s mini-budget as one of the contributing factors in the business’ demise.
She told the committee: “You can have the word sorry, of course I am sorry… I am sorry that we are not there supporting these people anymore.”