Wilko and The Range target new Telford stores in 'massive' expansion programme
The owner of home and leisure superstores Wilko and The Range has included Telford on a list of possible locations for upgraded stores after announcing expansion plans.
Brand owner CDS, which also owns the The Range and Homebase brands, says the group is currently undergoing a period of "mass expansion and growth" in the UK and Ireland, and has called on landlords and developers to put forward new sites for both The Range and Wilko stores.
The Range store on Telford's Forge Retail Park opened to considerable fanfare just over two years ago, and the firm also operates major stores in Oswestry and Shrewsbury.
Wilko closed in Telford town centre in October 2023, with the company's former retail unit now occupied by charity shop retailer The British Heart Foundation. The Wellington branch of Wilko had closed a month earlier, and the space on Walker Street is now occupied by discount retailer B&M.
CDS said it is looking to continue an ambitious expansion plan for two of the UK’s most recognisable high street and out-of-town retail brands, and is now urgently seeking new sites to support its next phase of expansion.
"Demand for our retail brands has never been stronger and we’ve been gearing up for growth, investing in our operational infrastructure including our warehousing and transport," said CDS Superstores Limited's Antony Darbyshire.
"At a time when other retailers are slowing down, we’re bucking the trend, investing heavily in bringing leading retail experiences to even more communities, and we’re calling on landlords, developers and agents to work with us to unlock the next wave of sites."
The group said it is targeting 20,000–25,000 sq ft units in shopping centres or high-footfall town centre sites for its Wilko stores, while new Range stores will be out-of-town or retail park stores of between 25,000 and 60,000 sq ft, with the firm also set to consider development sites or joint venture arrangements.
The company is considered to be the UK's fastest growing retail operation, having opened 55 new branches of The Range since the beginning of 2025.
Last year, CDS confirmed it had plans to open a "significant number" of Wilko format stores alongside its existing store opening programme for The Range, with plans to more than double the group's store estate size over the next five years.
In November 2024, the company acquired the Homebase brand and a number of its stores after the DIY chain collapsed into administration, a move which secured up to 1,600 jobs but which also saw the demise of a Homebase store in Wellington.
