29 Mar 2026 ● Chris Eccles
Wickes To Create 2,000 New Full Or Part Time Retail Jobs With Store Expansion
Wickes, the DIY & home improvement chain, has said it will create 2,000 new full or part time retail jobs across the UK.
Wickes has announced plans to open 70 new stores in a move that will create hundreds of jobs in local areas.
The DIY chain outlined its growth plans in its latest annual results, stating it intends to accelerate investment following strong financial performance. Wickes reported an almost 6 per cent rise in revenue to £1.63 billion and more than 14 per cent increase in adjusted pre-tax profit to £49.9 million for the year ending 27 December 2025.
Wickes is now targeting an increase from 230 stores to 300 locations nationwide, marking one of the retailer’s most ambitious growth phases to date.
The planned rollout of new stores is expected to generate jobs across a range of roles, including positions in retail, customer service, management and operations. The company said the expansion will support both local employment and wider economic activity in the areas where new sites are developed.
The company said its investment strategy is focused on expanding its physical footprint while continuing to strengthen its core retail offering. The planned openings are expected to take place over the coming years, although specific locations and timelines have yet to be confirmed.
Announcing the expansion plans, the Chief Executive Officer of Wickes, David Wood, said: "This has been another year of strong progress against our strategy. We’ve achieved volume-driven growth across all three areas of the business, as the strength of our proposition continues to resonate with customers so I would like to thank all of my colleagues for their continued hard work and commitment.”
“In retail, we achieved record market share with particularly strong sales across timber, tiling, flooring and paint. We’re also pleased with the performance of our design and installation business, which has now recorded five consecutive quarters of ordered sales growth.”
“Given the strength of investment returns from our proven store refit and new store rollout strategy, we have today announced the decision to accelerate our investment for future growth. This takes our ambition to reach 300 stores nationwide, creating over 2,000 new jobs as we bring Wickes’ distinctive offer to new locations up and down the UK,” added the CEO.
If delivered in full, the expansion at Wickes would represent a significant boost for the UK retail sector, creating thousands of new roles for students and other young people.
