What's the score with all of these "Harry Potter" type shops that have sprung up in the West End recently? Are they the new American candy/vape/mobile shop?

Interestingly on the continent they have dedicated areas to leave such granny trolleys, as well as some transparent lockers to place your shopping in. I was a bit confused by initially the first time I saw the array ofthese tied up by the entrance, but I guess it is a good anti-theft measure.

What’s interesting though, is if you walk into a random phone shop like EE or O2 (my current SIM only provider) and say “I want to buy an iPhone 15 Pro outright, can I have one?” they won’t sell you one without a contract, which is quite interesting. That is interesting. I guess it's their prerogat...

I think they possibly have one eye on replacing the 'The Range' brand (which is shite, let's face it) with Wilko at some point. Maybe some awful hybrid 'Wilko @ The Range' or something. The Range to me just makes me think of Live Laugh Love tat. I mean there’s an audience for that obvs, but they co...

Mind, the Iceland Swift we had at Four Lane Ends was terrible, just expensive and pointless. Now gone and not surprised at all, the Tesco Express along the road was just much better. I've never understood the point of Iceland Swifts - well, not the one in Hounslow anyway. Up the same stretch of roa...

Nationwide have rebranded. Their old logo was dated but the new branding has got a very 90s feel. They’ve taken the heavily stylised church behind the house out of their logo. I think that would have attracted the ire of the right-wing press a decade ago, but I suspect even they won’t care these da...

Mind, the Iceland Swift we had at Four Lane Ends was terrible, just expensive and pointless. Now gone and not surprised at all, the Tesco Express along the road was just much better. I've never understood the point of Iceland Swifts - well, not the one in Hounslow anyway. Up the same stretch of roa...

This is a bizarre question but is anyone's local Wilko not discounting the own brand copier paper? Two branches I've been in near me have everything discounted but the copier paper, with it being sold at full price. I guess it must be sale or return - but even still, it's all still Wilko branded and...

I've just replaced my Pixel 4a (a 2020 model) because the software support has run out. It's otherwise fine. At least they've said they'll give me £100 for it, so hopefully it's not going to be e-waste. (I say I've just replaced it - I mean I bought a new handset in the Google birthday sale the oth...

Not looking good for Wilko.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... etailer-uk

I was in a Wilko earlier and the shelves looked fairly full, with the only empty spaces I saw being the pick and mix and the occasional shelf gap. Stuff like toiletries weren't discounted - it was all a bit odd really, perhaps these are just sale or return, or PWC realise they can extract most cash ...