Wilko to reopen in former store just 4 months after shop was forced to close - is your local Wilko reopening?
Wilko will reopen in its former site in Poole, Dorset
PA
Wilko has announced a former Wilko store will be reopened under new ownership.
The retailer will return to Poole, Dorset, in its former Dolphin Centre site.
All 400 Wilko stores closed last autumn after it collapsed into administration, but The Range owner CDS Superstores has since opened several concept stores after buying Wilko's website, brand and intellectual property.
Work is set to begin "soon" at the site and Wilko will announce the store launch date "shortly".
All 400 Wilko stores shut last autumn but the brand was bought by The Range owner CDS Superstores
PA
It comes after the launch of three concept stores in Plymouth, Exeter and Luton.
Stores in Rotherham and St Albans are set to open this spring, ahead of a further national roll-out of new Wilko stores.
CEO of CDS Superstores, trading as The Range and Wilko, Alex Simpkin said last month: “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 part of the recruitment process for the new stores.”
The store opening programme will include the brand arriving in Northern Ireland for the first time, the company said.
CDS Superstores said it is encouraging landlords across the UK to "open productive conversations" if they are interested in being considered for the roll-out programme.
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Nearly all of Wilko’s 12,500 workers were made redundant when its stores shut last year.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, today, Wilko highlighted a number of job vacancies, and said former Wilko workers would be prioritised for the jobs.
They wrote: "We’re looking for a talented team and we’ll be prioritising any ex-wilko staff who apply for jobs.
"Have a look at our vacancies here http://therange.co.uk/careers."
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