The head office of Wilko, the UK retailer that collapsed into administration last year after more than 90 years of trading, has been formally put up for sale.
Sanderson Weatherall has been appointed to sell the company’s former head office at Manton Wood, Worksop, acting on behalf of the joint administrators of WL Realisations (2023) Limited, formerly known as Wilko Limited, and WHSL Realisations Limited, formerly known as Wilkinson Hardware Stores Limited.
Built in the 1990s, the freehold property comprises 117,000 square feet of office and warehousing on 7.51 acres and includes 300 car parking spaces. Manton Wood is home to occupiers including DHL, B&Q, Greencore and Royal Mail. A guide price has not been attached.
Sanderson Weatherall said the property lends itself to continued office and warehousing use and offers the opportunity for repurposing and expansion given the large site area.
The sale is being handled by the asset advisory and recovery team in Sanderson Weatherall’s Leeds office.
Wilko, which traded from around 400 stores, called in administrators in August.
In January last year Canadian asset manager Brookfield agreed to buy the headlease on the budget retailer's 1.1 million-square-foot distribution hub in Worksop, next to its headquarters, from third-party logistics specialist DHL for £88 million or a 5.75% yield.
The transaction was structured as a sale-and-leaseback transaction with DHL only two months after Wilko agreed a £48 million, 15-year sale-and-leaseback with the logistics company on the hub, with DHL retaining the headlease at the time. That deal enabled Wilko to pay off its revolving credit facility.
For a review of the Parliamentary inquiry into the collapse click here.