[News] Wilko on brink of collapse

[Bob!]

I have no idea how WH Smith has kept going.

They basically survive on their newspaper and magazine distribution service

 

[Uh_huh_him]

They basically survive on their newspaper and magazine distribution service

Well there's a robust business model for you.....

 

[Frutos]

They basically survive on their newspaper and magazine distribution service

Not entirely true, WHSmith and Smiths News de-merged in 2006 - their train station/airport business is very profitable and is where their future lies.

I used to work for their High Street business, I left in 2017 and sales were falling even then. They may very well end up disappearing from the high street (they've already said no new HS stores will be opened), but they are very unlikely to go entirely.

To keep vaguely on topic, one of my former employers (WHS) are struggling and my other (Woolworths, in many ways the proto-Wilko) are long gone - fingers crossed my current lot don't go too!

 

[Bozza]

Not entirely true, WHSmith and Smiths News de-merged in 2006 - their train station/airport business is very profitable and is where their future lies.

I used to work for their High Street business, I left in 2017 and sales were falling even then. They may very well end up disappearing from the high street (they've already said no new HS stores will be opened), but they are very unlikely to go entirely.

To keep vaguely on topic, one of my former employers (WHS) are struggling and my other (Woolworths, in many ways the proto-Wilko) are long gone - fingers crossed my current lot don't go too!

Ever considered a job at Crystal Palace FC?

 

[Bob!]

...I used to work for their High Street business,
To keep vaguely on topic, one of my former employers (WHS) are struggling and my other (Woolworths, in many ways the proto-Wilko) are long gone - fingers crossed my current lot don't go too!

I was a Woolies Store Manager until they departed

 

[Frutos]

I was a Woolies Store Manager until they departed

I left three months before the end.

What store were you at?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Their picture frames are a quarter of the price anywhere else. Garden stuff is good and their
stationery is good too.

Their stationary is nothing to write home about.

 

[Bob!]

I left three months before the end.

What store were you at?

At the end I was in Grays, previously managed a few Essex Stores.

Started in Worthing in '77 straight from School, then Bognor, Chi, Horsham, Wembley.
Then they moved the Regional borders, and I found myself in North London East Anglia rather than Metropolitan (London and South East).

I guess you were in Sussex?

 

[marlowe]

This is the only product i have ever bought in Wilko. Fortunately I bought three tins on my last visit. Much cheaper than anywhere else and a decent product

 

[Simster]

Wilko was a decent shop for a number of years. As has already been said, it filled the Woolies void and more. However, ever since Brexit in 2019 it seemed to struggle to get stock. Whereas a few years ago I'd go there for a number of household basics, nowadays it's a last resort as you assume they won't have in stock whatever you're looking for. Their shelves at the Redhill branch wouldn't have looked out of place in the 1980s DDR.

tl;dr
Went from 8/10 to 3/10 in about 3 years.

 

[AmexRuislip]

I've been in Wilko Worthing several times, but I don't think I've ever bought anything in there.

What do you buy from Wilko?

UK homeware retailer Wilko has warned that it is on the brink of collapse, putting some 12,000 jobs at risk.​

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The privately-owned company said it had filed a "notice of intention" to appoint administrators after failing to find enough emergency investment.​

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Wilko, which has 400 UK stores across the UK, is well-known for its affordable everyday items.​

​

Wilko homeware chain on brink of collapse

The retailer, which employs 12,000 people, blames mounting cost pressures at its 400 UK stores.

www.bbc.co.uk

That's a shame, as we buy all of our allotment requirements from their, as reasonable and cheap.

 

[Weststander]

Roger

 

[Comrade Sam]

I'll be genuinely sad if Wilko goes and not just for all those that will lose their jobs. It's not often a week passes without one of my family buying something in there: toiletries, cleaning products, screws, cables, decorating bits, stationery, stuff for the kitchen, curtain rails, gardening paraphernalia, picture frames etc.

 

[GT49er]

Food for my wild bird feeders - far cheaper than anywhere else I've found.

For the oldies on here, I would say they're more like Timothy White's than Woolies.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Their stationary is nothing to write home about.

It had come to a standstill.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Stores that disappeared from the high street is not really surprising. I didn't realise Debenhams was still online until last month when I managed to get my favourite t-shirts.

 

[Perfidious Albion]

First found Wilko’s when I was in the Midlands before they came down here . We bought all sorts of things for the house and everyday essentials like string , stationery etc . I have bought diy tools there..
I am sorry to see them go and it will leave another big hole in a lot of High Streets.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Sunflower seed hearts and Niger seed, doesn't everybody

 

[Badger]

Not entirely true, WHSmith and Smiths News de-merged in 2006 - their train station/airport business is very profitable and is where their future lies.

I used to work for their High Street business, I left in 2017 and sales were falling even then. They may very well end up disappearing from the high street (they've already said no new HS stores will be opened), but they are very unlikely to go entirely.

To keep vaguely on topic, one of my former employers (WHS) are struggling and my other (Woolworths, in many ways the proto-Wilko) are long gone - fingers crossed my current lot don't go too!

I was quite surprised to see a WHSmith in Newark airport last week. I was tempted to pop in and buy a Daily Telegraph (bottle of water)

As for Wilko, I used to find it a useful shop for home goods. However, it looked like a very sad shop when I visited on one of my recent UK trip. Lots of empty shelves and the stuff they did have was a complete mess, half of it seemed to be on the floor.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

This is the only product i have ever bought in Wilko. Fortunately I bought three tins on my last visit. Much cheaper than anywhere else and a decent productView attachment 164441

Did it do what it said on the tin? As there may be a lawsuit if it did.