After seeing growth across all areas of its business last year, national DIY retailer Wickes has announced a new long-term goal to increase its total number of stores to 300.
This year, the retailer says it expects to open around four or five new stores, as well as refreshing a further 15 to 25 locations. However, Wickes says its rollout “will accelerate from 2028 onwards”, when it expects to be opening upwards of 10 new stores each year, alongside refreshing a further 20 stores as well.
As part of its store estate expansion, Wickes will reportedly focus on “white space opportunities and under-served larger towns and cities”. To prepare for this, Wickes says it will spend 2026 and 2027 “securing [its] future property pipeline by identifying the most optimal locations, securing appropriate commercial terms with landlords, gaining planning permissions and managing construction”.
According to Wickes, a number of its existing stores are trading successfully with a full Wickes format but in a smaller footprint. As a result, Wickes believes that using smaller store footprints will enable it to target more potential store locations, allowing it to serve areas with lower population numbers.
Currently, Wickes says it has around 230 stores across the UK, meaning the retailer will have to open another 70 retail locations to hit its new goal.
Looking back over last year, Wickes says it opened a total of five new stores, in Leeds Moor Allerton, Bury St Edmunds, Dunfermline, Southport and Northampton Riverside – four of which were former Homebase stores. Additionally, Wickes confirmed it closed three stores in 2025, which were located in Muswell Hill, Croydon, and Southport.