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Popworld · 03/08/2023 15:02

Hopefully a buyer will step in and turn it around

maddiemookins16mum · 03/08/2023 15:05

It’s been going downhill for about 4 years.

Needmorelego · 03/08/2023 15:12

Several years I remember when Wilkos wasn’t so well known and I described it to someone as “like Woolworths but if woolies actually had any stock”.
Now B+M isn’t so widely known and I describe it as “like Wilko but if wilko had any stock”.
The products exist - why don’t they have them on their shelves.

Augustusgloooop · 03/08/2023 15:15

I used to like Wilko for cleaning and home supplies but rarely bother going in now as the shelves are usually empty. I don’t find them to be particularly cheap either. They’re usually all located in town centres which are increasingly difficult to get to, I presume most people prefer the convenience and selection at the likes of the range, B&M etc.

Another sad story for the high street but councils insist on making it so difficult to shop there! In the town where I live parking is expensive, bus services are non existent, trains are always on strike, roadworks everywhere make it hard to navigate. With fewer shops open it barely seems worth the hassle. I’m not surprised people favour retail parks.

User165753 · 03/08/2023 15:17

Our Wilko is unusual in that it is in town but has a large free carpark next to it.

PriamFarrl · 03/08/2023 15:24

I like Wilko and it’ll be a great loss in my opinion. Yes you can get a lot in B&M but I find Wilko to be better. And it’s easy to say that you can get things in The Range, B&M or Home Bargins but they aren’t easy to get to without a car.

EsmaCannonball · 03/08/2023 15:28

What a shame. It's my go-to shop when I need to buy stuff like pet supplies, bird food and those other unexciting but essential goods that we all need to buy from time to time. Shops like Home Bargains and B&M are always located in out-of-town locations and require a special car journey. Wilko's selling point for me is its convenience.

ifonly4 · 03/08/2023 15:33

Feel really sorry for the staff and also people who can't get to out of town stores like Home Bargains, B&M and Dunelm.

We have Boots, Savers and Superdrug in town so can still pick up toiletries, cleaning supplies. Always been good to have the option of going there and looking for other household/garden items when you're shopping though.

Needmorelego · 03/08/2023 15:33

@EsmaCannonball have you got a Poundstretcher near you? They have a big animal and pet section. Poundstretcher seems to be the “forgotten” shop that people don’t realise is there. They are sometimes branded as Bargain Buys.

OhmygodDont · 03/08/2023 15:35

B&m moved into a brand new building not long before covid near my mothers. During covid B&m had being lining up the whole carpark to get in. Wilko had maybe 10 people. Writings been on the walls for ages.

It’s sad for those losing their jobs, the only things I ever liked in there was when they had clearance stuff, 50% off seeds and the likes, on and the loose screws but I’ve not seen them for months so we order in screwfix in bulk instead.

AlltheFs · 03/08/2023 15:36

It’s a huge shame here, I’m rural and our small market town has one which is well used. There’s nothing similar without an hours round trip by car. I do shop mostly online though so guess Amazon will win here for me.

I’m not likely to trek all the way to a city for a B&M, when you add in the travel cost even in an EV, it’s not cost effective. Cheaper to get some poor sod to drive to my house using Prime.

Spudlet · 03/08/2023 15:37

Our local Wilko is really good, it's a smaller one but is well stocked and well used (not a well off town). It has free parking outside, which helps. I still get a fair few bits and bobs in there, its the best local place for stationery, printer ink and has a decent range of things like paint too. I'll be really sad if it goes.

frozendaisy · 03/08/2023 15:39

Wilko is so much better than b&m, it's more high street DIY shop, stuff you actually need, b&m is full of non-essential tat. I don't need solar garden lights shaped like snails. But we do need inner tubes for kids bikes to get to school.

Needmorelego · 03/08/2023 15:45

@frozendaisy perhaps that’s where Wilko went wrong. They should have stayed as a hardware store rather than trying to be a “bit of everything” store.

dottiedodah · 03/08/2023 16:00

Our local one is OK ,but seems a bit lacking in something really. Doesnt help that its next to a council car park, and there is B and Q and home bargains about a mile or so away! The writing on the wall for these sorts of stores I think

scrivette · 03/08/2023 16:05

I wondered what was going on when I went there last week and there was hardly any stock. There isn't a similar shop around in my area so I will be very sorry to see it go.

UncertainSmiler · 03/08/2023 16:07

The problem with Wilko is that it’s just not cheaper than other places any more. That’s the whole point in going there.

User165753 · 03/08/2023 16:27

I go to Wilko because they have the right size bin bags, once I run out on holiday, I use them in the caravan bin and I had to buy from Poundland and they were dreadful quality, I shall pop in tomorrow and stock up just in case.

QueefQueen80s · 03/08/2023 16:33

Needmorelego · 03/08/2023 15:33

@EsmaCannonball have you got a Poundstretcher near you? They have a big animal and pet section. Poundstretcher seems to be the “forgotten” shop that people don’t realise is there. They are sometimes branded as Bargain Buys.

Our local poundstretcher just shut down, such a shame as like you say the pet section is brilliant. It was always empty though and I could never understand it.

CoffeeWithCheese · 03/08/2023 16:39

PriamFarrl · 03/08/2023 15:24

I like Wilko and it’ll be a great loss in my opinion. Yes you can get a lot in B&M but I find Wilko to be better. And it’s easy to say that you can get things in The Range, B&M or Home Bargins but they aren’t easy to get to without a car.

Our Range is so fucking cluttered with shop crate on wheel things blocking all the aisles it's nigh on impassable some days. Fucking nightmare of a store to get around.

FatOaf · 03/08/2023 17:41

The problem with Wilko is that it’s just not cheaper than other places any more.

Same is true of Home Bargains. In fact, many things are more expensive than in Sainsbury's. I haven't been in B&M for years, so I don't know whether it's the same there.

Kingpin90 · 03/08/2023 18:19

There gardening items are good.
Only place to buy paint, unless from B&Q.
The homeware items used to be really good, but stock lacking in my local store. And expensive home delivery.
Went down hill during Covid.

handslikecowstits · 03/08/2023 18:30

I'll really miss their autumn bulbs. They are second to none but I have noticed that recently there have been so many gaps on the shelves. Sad.

BarelyLiterate · 03/08/2023 18:30

Sadly, this comes as absolutely no surprise to anyone who has visited a Wilko store in the last couple of years. Empty shelves, deserted aisles, bored looking staff chatting.
Wilko have been left behind. Their stores are in the wrong place, on high streets, while their competitors are on more convenient retail parks. Why would anyone want the hassle of driving into town, finding & paying for parking & carrying their home & garden purchases back to the car park, when they can park outside B&M, Home Bargains or The Range for free?

FrivolousTreeDuck · 03/08/2023 18:37

Really sad to hear this - I often shop at Wilko. I don't drive, so The Range and B&M are a bit of a hike for me as they're at retail parks. Plus, I don't want to have to wade through furniture, craft stuff, fifty million awful pictures etc. when I just want to pick up some shampoo.