Wilko has revealed it will be making a return to the UK’s high streets and retail parks with five new ‘concept stores’ before 2023 is out.
And one of those new stores is to open here in the North, the retailer has confirmed.
We all know by now that it’s been a turbulent couple of months for Wilko after it entered administration back in early September, with an initial outlook indicating that all the retailer’s branches nationwide would be forced to close and around 12,500 jobs would be left at risk.
But following this initially-crushing news, it was announced that Pepco Group, the company which owns Poundland in the UK, had managed to strike a deal with Wilko administrators PwC to take control of up to 71 store leases and convert them into Poundland branches by the end of this year – a process which has now already begun, with several in Greater Manchester having opened.
Wilko confirms new northern store as it outlines plans to reopen before end of 2023 / Credit: Wilko (via X)
It was then revealed a few weeks after that another retail competitor, The Range, had also swooped in and snapped-up Wilko’s website and intellectual property, meaning it would relaunch the brand and begin trading on thousands of product lines, both in its 200 stores and online, in the very near future.
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So while it originally looked like Wilko would be no more once the administration news was first announced, this has turned out to be anything but the case.
And now, the retailer has announced its biggest news yet – an actual return to the UK’s high streets and retail parks before 2023 draws to a close.
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Following the re-launch of https://t.co/9GmoPi78Zo and the announcement that wilko products are to be sold in The Range’s 200 stores, what quickly became clear is that wilko is still plays a part in people’s everyday lives.
Ahead of the nationwide roll-out of its new online store, Wilko has announced that five standalone ‘concept’ stores will open before Christmas, with the first two being in Plymouth and Exeter, closely followed by two in the South East and one in the North – the locations of which are set to be announced “imminently”, the retailer has revealed.
The new stores will offer shoppers “everything they need to get all their homes and garden jobs done”.
“Great value items” across categories including cleaning and household, decorating and DIY, garden and outdoor, homeware, pets and wildlife, storage, seasonal celebrations – such as Christmas – and more, are all set to be on sale.
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We plan to give ex-wilko employees priority as a part of the recruitment process for the new stores.
“The public reaction to the loss of Wilko stores was undeniable,” explained Alex Simpkin, who is the CEO of CDS Superstores.
“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, so 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.”
He also added that CDS Superstores will “endeavour” to give ex-Wilko employees priority as a part of the recruitment process for the new stores.
Featured Image – Wilko
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Rio Ferdinand is stepping away from TNT Sports after more than a decade
Danny Jones
Manchester United legend and ex-England international Rio Ferdinand has announced he will be stepping away from TNT Sports, leaving more than a decade with the broadcaster.
Ferdinand has spent the best part of the last 10 years serving as a leading pundit and analyst, as well as hosting his own ‘Rio Meets’ online series – the interview format of which has been replicated on his YouTube channel.
However, after having been one of their main anchors both under the BT Sport and even more so since the inception of the rebranded TNT Sports Football umbrella, the 46-year-old has confirmed he has now quit their regular coverage following the Champions League final this weekend.
In a lengthy statement on social media, the ex-Man United defender, who also played for Leeds, West Ham, Bournemouth and QPR, described it as a “difficult decision.”
Taking time to thank the network for their “tremendous support” over the years, especially those “behind the scenes, whose work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success.”
The talented centre-back retired in May 2015 after more than 500 appearances and 81 national team caps, making an almost immediate switch into punditry and remaining a household name.
Rio has also remained a popular figure at Old Trafford and, indeed, across various parts of Manchester since leaving United in 2014.
For instance, his self-titled Foundation has carried out some truly transformational local outreach across various boroughs, as it has back in his home city of London.
Responding to the news, TNT Sports said nothing more than “Thanks for everything, Rio”; meanwhile, fellow former Red, Danny Simpson (who retired last year and also works as a pundit/presenter for MUTV) added: “You’re going to be missed, bro. Every time you’re on, you give us all the mad insight.”
However, he has promised he will remain in the media industry, continuing to work under the Rio Ferdinand Presents digital brand and pursuing “other business interests”.
With his ‘Rio Reacts’ and ‘Vibe with FIVE’ series regularly raking in millions of views, he might not be on the box during European nights but you’ll still be seeing plenty of him.
Rare bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo for the first time in more than 30 years
Emily Sergeant
It’s time to say a big hello, as rare bat-eared foxes have now arrived at Chester Zoo.
The two sisters, named Maasai and Malindi, have been welcomed by conservationists after travelling more than 500 miles from a zoo in Paris, and they are the first mammals of their kind to come to Chester Zoo in more than 30 years.
First images show the pair exploring their home in the zoo’s new Heart of Africa habitat – which officially opened to the public back in March, and is the largest zoo development ever undertaken in the UK, spanning more than 22.5 acres in size.
The adorable – but rather unique-looking – bat-eared fox is named after its distinctive oversized ears and is native to the open savannahs and arid grasslands of eastern and southern Africa.
They live for around 13 years on average, and their characteristically large ears help regulate their body temperature and enhance their incredible hearing, allowing them to prey like detect insects moving underground.
The species faces increasing threats in the wild, largely due to the loss of their habitat caused by agriculture, human encroachment, and hunting.
This is why Chester Zoo has long been at the forefront of protecting African wildlife.
Its teams’ have been supporting everything from the safe translocation of northern giraffes to protected national parks in Uganda, to developing cutting-edge AI trail cameras to protect giant pangolins from illegal trafficking in recent years.
Bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo for the first time in 30 years / Credit: Chester Zoo
“It’s incredibly exciting to welcome bat-eared foxes back to Chester Zoo after a 30-year hiatus,” commented David White, who is the Twilight Team Manager at Chester Zoo.
“Both Maasai and Malindi are settling in well so far, spending much of their time exploring their expansive home and getting to know their new housemates – a family of twelve Cape porcupines. These two species would often come across one another in the wild, so we’ve recreated this right here at Chester.
“In time, we hope to introduce one of the two sisters to a male fox, with the hope that we can contribute to the European conservation breeding programme, helping to ensure there’s a healthy, genetically diverse back-up population in human care.
Emily Sergeant -
30th October 2023 
