A much-loved retail brand is returning to Bristol via a shopping service. Wilko, which closed its final stores in Bristol in October 2023 after entering administration, will be returning to the city via a “hub” in St Philips.
Announcing a partnership with Deliveroo, customers will be able to order products from ten hubs across the country in as little as 25 minutes. Wilko plans on expanding the service to 50 locations by the end of the year.
The brand itself said that it was expecting to open 40 stores a year as it planned its major comeback back in August. The news that the “hub” will be open this month will see Wilko finally come back to Bristol.
Some of the Wilko stores were bought by Poundland, whilst the brand itself was bought by the parent company of The Range. Alex Simpkin, Group Chief Executive Officer at CDS Superstores trading as Wilko and The Range, said: “It’s great to be making Wilko so much more accessible to its loyal customer base.
“There’s a huge love for the brand and while we continue to open new stores this partnership gives us the opportunity to reach people quicker. All the great things you expect from Wilko and more in as little as 25 minutes!”
Could the return of Wilko be a sign of the future as what is defined as a shopping experience rapidly changes as the high street alters? Several shopping destinations, whether focusing on bricks-and-mortar shops, restaurants, or entertainment, have seen drastic changes in the last few years.
Bella Italia recently announced a new restaurant at Aspects Leisure Park in Longwell Green – but it is a mixed picture when considering prominent locations in Bristol. Hengrove Leisure Park was once a thriving location full of different restaurants, fast food establishments and a cinema with 14 screens.
However, little remains of the site as it is scheduled to become a new housing development, leaving the likes of KFC, McDonalds, Costa Coffee and the Premier Inn as reminders of what was part of a major regeneration in South Bristol. Most of the buildings at the leisure park are empty, a far cry from its heyday.
Head closer to the city centre and Cabot Circus continues to welcome new brands as it evolves the shopping experience. A new moonshine store is set to open in the shopping centre, following the opening of Mimiso, and the likes of Marks & Spencer, Treetop Golf and King Pins Bowl are on the way.
Cribbs Causeway remains a popular destination for shopping with the flagship shopping area, The Mall, welcoming LEGO next month. It followed news that three brands would also be opening stores at The Mall.
But the fate of the Galleries is well-known at this point. Set for demolition, a new city centre would be created with 450 new homes, shops, leisure, restaurants, health and community spaces, a new hotel and accommodation for 750 students.
So the news that Wilko, a brand which disappeared altogether a year ago, is coming back to Bristol and will be available for customers once again could be a significant moment for shopping destinations and the high streets in Bristol. Could the partnership with the delivery company be the start of a new era of shopping across the region?
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