Wilko pulling out of Shrewsbury's Riverside Shopping Centre

The news that Wilko will be pulling out of the centre comes just days after Shropshire Council bought the town's three shopping centres in a £51.9 million deal.

The household name, which specialises in selling homeware, stationery and decorating supplies, will be relocating to a new store in the nearby Pride Hill Centre.

Work is currently ongoing at the shopping centre to accommodate the shop.

It will occupy more than 10,000sq ft on the lower level of the centre, which for a number of years ago was home to C&A.

Kevin Lockwood, manager of the Darwin, Pride Hill and Riverside shopping centres said: "Wilkos will be relocating from the Riverside Centre.

"The plans for the relocation have been established for some time. The company will be taking over the former C&A store, which is approximately 10,000sq ft.

"Whilst they are moving out of the Riverside they will be remaining in the town. They could have chosen to go out of town to Meole Brace but this shows confidence in staying within the town centre. It is great news for the town centre that they have decided to stay."

Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for corporate support, said: “We’re really pleased to confirm that Wilko is to relocate from their current site in the Riverside Centre to a new unit in the Pride Hill Centre, and that they have committed to staying in Shrewsbury town centre. We look forward to them opening the doors of their new store later this year once the necessary work has been completed.

“Over the coming months we’ll carefully think through our next steps in terms of the wider development of the Riverside area and we’ll be seeking people’s views before any decisions are made. In the meantime it’s important to stress that the businesses in the Riverside remain open as normal and we encourage people to continue to visit the centre.”

A spokesperson from Wilko said: “We’re very committed to Shrewsbury and love serving our loyal shoppers here. We will be relocating the store to the Pride Hill Centre to make sure we’re delivering the best products to our customers in the best way and at the best price.

"We’re currently working with the landlord on the relocation and we’re hoping to be able to open in summer 2018. In the meantime, please come and see us at our current location in the Riverside.”

Earlier this month, Shropshire Council's leader Councillor Peter Nutting said that he was in favour of the Riverside being demolished to make way for the redevelopment of the site.

In 2012, planned construction work to redevelop the site was delayed. The scheme, which had obtained permission from Shropshire Council to demolish the Riverside Shopping Centre and create one giant interlinked mall, had been due to begin in the summer and finish in time for Christmas 2015.

The project was then shelved.

Following the new purchase of the centres this week, Councillor Nutting said: “The investment in the shopping centres is very exciting and hugely important. It will provide us with the opportunity to shape the redevelopment of a large part of the town centre. In particular, the redevelopment of the Riverside Centre is desperately needed as the area is looking tired and run down. It offers huge opportunities for development."