Wickes in Charlton is to close as Home Bargains opens
A couple of people have been in touch to say Wickes are closing their Charlton store on 21st August just a few years after it opened.
Parent company Travis Perkins – who also own Toolstation and Tile Giant -announced they were cutting 2,500 jobs and 167 branches across their network of stores.
In it’s place will be a Home Bargains store.
The store is located on Bugsby’s Way at Brocklebank Retail Park. Another unit on the retail park has lay empty since Mothercare folded though I recently covered how Wren Kitchens are seeking to open at the site.
What a shame, but not surprising when there’s a store in Blackheath.
The Wickes Store in Blackheath is only going to to be home from 7am to 5 pm according to Wickes,
As may people who do a lot of DIY will know you often find when putting furniture together or doing DIY jobs around the home. or have an emergency you often have to pop out to pick up something on the quick to finish the job or complete the repair.
So DIY stores are normaly better being open to 8 or 9 pm during the week. Luckily in Greenwich we do have B&Q. However, it is sad to see Charlton Wickes store Close as from the 21st August.
The Blackheath Store is only going to be open 7am to 5pm as per the email they sent to customers advising them the Charlton store is closing.
Yes that is correct CDT my email from Wickes said the Blackheath Store will be open from 07:00 to 17:00.
It is sad to see the Wickes Charlton store closing and my thoughts are with staff at this difficult time The pandemic as a lot to answer for. !!
Please adide by the rules wear your mask and adhere to social disatncing otherwise we will see a second wave with more lives and jobs lost.
The Blackheath site is a prime spot for residential. Given the parent company’s problems I wonder how long it will last given chance to make £££ assuming they own it. If not and Wickes are leasing, the owners themselves might decide to sell. It’s one of those odd retail sheds that have survived in valuable areas. See also Speedy Hire in Greenwich.
Thats a shame – I dont go in B&Q often anymore – carpark too full since Ikea moved in.
Wickes was better in its old position – but where it is now was OK until the other shops opened. Again car parking. Its difficult to get a trolley full of aggregate to your car if there is no places to park near. I will be sad to see this go – I don’t fancy the traffic to get to the other side of Greenwich.. Need to get a Selco card now!
Any news about the Plumstead branch?
I think the location of the Wickes Charlton store doesn’t help as it is a bit out of sight. It might be one of the reasons why Aldi moved from that same site years ago. I liked Wickes/Focus DIY when it when it was located on the former Sykes Pumps site on Woolwich Road (now the car park and Costa) many moons ago.
It seems DIY stores don’t fare well at Brocklebank. Before the Mothercare, Next, and previously, Matalan store on Bugsby’s Way, there was a Texas Homecare on that site who then moved to Millennium Way retail park (where B&Q is now) as Homebase. Homebase closed that store in the mid 2000s I think, and B&Q moved in.
I have to say that I prefer the Argos-style convenience of Screwfix or Toolstation. I suspect that most people know what they want (or are at least accustomed to browsing online) so stores don’t really need the large display area for most visits.
Neither store sells aggregate, for example.
Michael, it was Lidl who had this site before Wickes. Jon totally understand what you mean about Screw Fix and Tool Station style stores.
I am guessing B&Q will see their customer base increase for both on line orders and customers visting the store. Some items you need to go in to the store to choose as some items to check the colour is right for example.
If anyting due to the amount of new homes under construction and planned on the Greenwich Pensinsula and in Charton including thise due under the Charlton Master Planned in the future.The old Wickes store would probably be suited for another supermarket as people always have to eat. Also healthy competiion can help to keep shop prices reasonable for consumers,
I agree with Murky I think the Wickes Blackheath Store site will proably be sold for housing in the not too distance future as could possibly the Plumstead store if it closed. No news on the Plumstead store as yet.
I feel for the staff at this really difficult time. I agree with CDT please wear your mask and social distance so we can hopefully avoid a second wave of Covid-19 and hopefully getour economy backon track to save more jobs.
I am sorry to learn that Wickes are closing their Charlton Store my heart goes out to the staff sadly losing their jobs.
I agree with Graham I think Char,ton Wickes Store site is more suited to another supermarket considering the amount of new homes recenty built under construction and planned for the future in The Greenwich, Greenwich Peninsula and Charlton areas. I also agree that healthy competition between supermarkets can benefit the consumer.with lower prices.
Hopefully the Plumstead branch of Wickes will remain open.
Hmmmn. I much prefer the Charlton store to Blackheath, but maybe trade wasn’t enough to justify a two storey shed. Shame because the kitchen the bathroom showrooms are bigger and nicer. I feel for the staff who will struggle to find new employment in these troubled times.
Wren Kitchens moving into the Mothercare space & IKEA must be a factor in this. A profitable part of the business gets serious competition.
16 small businesses where evicted by Greenwich council to make way for mothercare Greenwich council employees are disgusting individuals only interested in themselves.the business rate team at Greenwich are worse .dont any small business expect any kind of support from this council