Wickes is set to begin a new store opening programme to address areas where it is underrepresented throughout the UK.
The home improvement retailer plans to open four to five new stores a year for the next six years, taking its total from 230 to 260.
Wickes says the programme will address white space within its stores footprint and conurbations where it feels it lacks a presence.
Chief executive David Wood told Retail Week: “We have a new store opening programme. We have a really efficient store-based model and digital really helps drive that efficiency, but there are about 30 white space locations in the UK that don’t have a Wickes store and, of course, deserve one.
Wood told Retail Week that he would be approaching the programme in a very “disciplined” way and said finding the correct locations within the “white spaces” would be of the utmost importance in its programme.
“It’s not a space race,” he said. “The reason for that is because we tend to be sited in quality retail parks – we’re not a big-box, out-of-town or high street player, but there’s not a high vacancy rate there.
“So you need to be really thoughtful, really considered and determined as to where you’re going to go and I think new stores are a really exciting part of our plan.”
Potential locations being considered for new stores include Aberdeen, Glasgow and Chelmsford.
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