B&Q rumoured to be leasing store space in 150 branches to Morrisons

DIY giant B&Q could be in the process of leasing thousands of square feet of floor space to supermarket chain Morrisons.

Rumours have suggested that the two companies could be about to agree a deal for 150 B&Q stores across the country to be let out to Morrisons, who would take over between a quarter and a third of the trading space in each store.

It has also been suggested that the B&Q Warehouse in Wigan, located on Frith Street near Robin Park, will be one of those included in the deal.

Official statements from the two companies did not confirm or deny the deal, which is believed to have been on the table for several months.

A B&Q spokesperson said: “We keep all our retail space under review but it would be inappropriate to speculate on what may or may not arise in future. We are however committed to Wigan.”

A spokesperson for Morrisons said the company was unable to comment on speculation around the future of its stores.

B&Q, which is part of Kingfisher, the third largest home improvement and garden centre retailer in the world, currently has 350 stores in the UK and more than 70 around the world, including shops as far afield as Beijing.

The deal is the latest in a series of rumours concerning the future of Morrisons in Wigan. The supermarket currently occupies a unit in The Galleries, but it has long been suggested in the town that the company is looking for a less cramped space to operate in.

Previous rumours have included transferring the store to a bigger unit elsewhere in the Galleries and moving the indoor market to a site in the Marketgate Shopping Centre, with the supermarket chain then taking over the space which is currently occupied by the traders.

Source : Wigan Today
www.wigantoday.net/news/local-news/b-q-deal-rumoured-1-5318331