Wilko stores will return before Christmas

Wilko stores will return to UK high streets before Christmas, under plans set out by the brand’s new owner. CDS Superstores International, which trades as the Range and owns the Wilko brand and intellectual property rights, said it will open new shops under the same fascia. It said the “public reaction to the loss of Wilko stores was undeniable”. The first two locations will be Plymouth and Exeter, followed by two locations in the South East and one in the North, the company said. Wilko-branded stores are also planned for Northern Ireland for the first time. While more than 120 Wilko stores – just over a quarter of its estate – were sold to discount-retailing rivals B&M and Poundland, more than 300 stores were forced to close. The Times (£)