High Street chain collapse sweepstake

[WillPS]

Looks like Poundland are running these shops with a very light touch rebranding: https://www.sloughobserver.co.uk/news/2 ... gh-street/

I imagine it's temporary but I expected them to close and put their normal fit out (which isn't especially elaborate) in before they started, especially since they didn't take on the staff!

[BBC TV Centre]

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 no doubt there's a cost to picking up the pallet of a bulky item?!

[bilky asko]

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 no doubt there's a cost to picking up the pallet of a bulky item?!

The price of copier paper is still high, isn't it? It might be a clue as to why that is

[Martin Phillp]

My local Wilko before the closure had loads of it delivered during the administration sale for £4.95. They still shifted all of them.

[WillPS]

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 no doubt there's a cost to picking up the pallet of a bulky item?!

The price has actually come down by £1 now but it's still excluded from other offers. I saw one shop reduced it further on their last few days of trading, dunno if that was authorised or not. It does seem a peculiar omission, perhaps a standoff between a supplier and the administrator?

[Martin Phillp]

There does seem to be store variation on the administration sale discounts. I've seen pics of some stores outside London with 50% off as the minimum discount on the last day while the lowest discount at my local store was 30%.

The most I received was 70% off electrical which they counted as DIY.

[cwathen]

Looks like Poundland are running these shops with a very light touch rebranding: https://www.sloughobserver.co.uk/news/2 ... gh-street/

I imagine it's temporary but I expected them to close and put their normal fit out (which isn't especially elaborate) in before they started, especially since they didn't take on the staff!

I guess it depends on the site but I wonder if some of these acquisitions are to create more standalone Pep & Co stores and reopening them as Poundland with the existing Wilko shopfit is just a temporary solution to get them trading until they roll this out?

One store I did notice they've bought is Bedminster, Bristol where there is already an existing Poundland in a similarly sized unit 20 seconds walk away on the same street. I can't imagine they seriously intend to keep both as Poundland stores long term and unless the Wilko unit has particularly improved rental terms over their existing store I can't imagine they've bought it just to move a few feet up the road either. A standalone Pep & Co store seems more likely to me.

[WillPS]

Looks like Poundland are running these shops with a very light touch rebranding: https://www.sloughobserver.co.uk/news/2 ... gh-street/

I imagine it's temporary but I expected them to close and put their normal fit out (which isn't especially elaborate) in before they started, especially since they didn't take on the staff!

I guess it depends on the site but I wonder if some of these acquisitions are to create more standalone Pep & Co stores and reopening them as Poundland with the existing Wilko shopfit is just a temporary solution to get them trading until they roll this out?

One store I did notice they've bought is Bedminster, Bristol where there is already an existing Poundland in a similarly sized unit 20 seconds walk away on the same street. I can't imagine they seriously intend to keep both as Poundland stores long term and unless the Wilko unit has particularly improved rental terms over their existing store I can't imagine they've bought it just to move a few feet up the road either. A standalone Pep & Co store seems more likely to me.

I thought they'd shut all the standalone Pep & Co stores?

[Zimba]

There does seem to be store variation on the administration sale discounts. I've seen pics of some stores outside London with 50% off as the minimum discount on the last day while the lowest discount at my local store was 30%.

The most I received was 70% off electrical which they counted as DIY.

It's been progressively going up with every batch of closures locally. Started at 30% -> 50%. It's been 80% off everything the last batch of closures up here as obviously they can't keep sending stock to stores that don't exist.

Wouldn't be surprised to see the next lot, everything 5p or something stupid. There's not a cat in hell chance they're going to sell the Clever Plant Pot accessories for example. It's crazy how many some stores have and without the pots they're useless.

Bird feeders and sand paper seem to be a big problem locally aswell, even known they're actually decent.

[cwathen]

I thought they'd shut all the standalone Pep & Co stores?

Don't they still have some in the Midlands? Thought they'd remodelled some of their 'mothballed' stores in 2021 and reopened them as Pep & Co?

[WillPS]

I thought they'd shut all the standalone Pep & Co stores?

Don't they still have some in the Midlands? Thought they'd remodelled some of their 'mothballed' stores in 2021 and reopened them as Pep & Co?

Ah yes, Martineau Place - but that's a strange one as it is in the same building 3 doors up from the Poundland. I think they must be compelled to operate both units or something, it's a very peculiar setup.