Wilko is set to return to the high street with five new stores set to open across the UK before Christmas.

The company entered administration in August leaving all 400 stores and 12,500 employees at risk. 

Administrators at PwC were forced to sell off Wilko’s assets after failing to secure a rescue deal for the whole business.

All Wilko stores in the UK have now closed, with the final round of closures taking place in early October. Watford's store closed on September 26.

Watford Observer: Wilko entered administration in August 2023.Wilko entered administration in August 2023. (Image: PA)

A number of sites across the UK have been saved and will be relaunched under a new high-street brand. 

Fellow high street retailer B&M bought 51 Wilko stores at the beginning of September in a deal thought to be worth around £13 million. 

Poundland owner Pepco also agreed a deal to buy 71 Wilko stores from administrator PwC following the collapse of the high street chain.

More than 30 former Wilko stores have already re-opened as Poundland stores in the UK with another 19 to be re-launched before the end of 2023.

The Range agreed a deal to buy Wilko’s brand for around £5 million which included its website and intellectual property.

Wilko products return to the UK high street

Wilko products are set to hit the shelves in The Range stores across the UK from Friday (October 27).

The Range said it will sell Wilko branded home, garden, pet and lifestyle products across its 210 stores.

It will also stock the products online after purchasing the Wilko website.

The Range chief executive, Alex Simpkin said: “Wilko is a much-loved and trusted UK brand and it was important to us to allow it to live on.

“We noticed Wilko customers were really disappointed to see stores closed, especially when it seemed they would no longer be able to buy their favourite products.

“We have worked hard and at pace to ensure they still have access to their favourite lines by bringing them into our own stores and online at wilko.com within a matter of weeks.”

Wilko stores opening in the UK before the end of 2023

Wilko is set to return to the UK high street before the end of 2023 with plans to open five new stores, according to The Mirror.

The five Wilko stores opening will be located in:

  • Plymouth
  • Exeter
  • South East England x2
  • North England

The exact opening dates are yet to be revealed.

Watford Observer: Is there a Wilko store opening near you?Is there a Wilko store opening near you? (Image: PA)

CDS Superstores, which trades as The Range, said ex-Wilko employees would be given “priority” when it came to job roles at the new stores.

Mr Simpkin, speaking to The Mirror, said: “For the majority of its 93 years, Wilko was an incredibly successful business that gave its customers exactly what they needed to get their home and garden jobs sorted.

"It was their advanced own-brand capabilities that encouraged us to invest in the brand and wilko.com and we’re excited to now be selling Wilko products online once more and across our 200 stores network.

"The public reaction to the loss of Wilko stores was undeniable. It’s clear that there’s a huge love for Wilko and we’ve seen an encouraging demand for the return of its own-brand products.

"That’s why we’ve taken the decision to reintroduce Wilko back to many of the high streets and communities that it used to so proudly serve."