Bewise buys up What Everyone Wants stores

Value clothing and homewares retailer Bewise has snapped up eight former What Everyone Wants stores.

Two of the new shops will start trading tomorrow (Saturday), and the additions bring Bewise's store total to 178.

All of the locations will feature a new in-store layout, piloted in five existing locations just before Christmas.

There will also be a 'strong emphasis' on the Jeans&co brand, which is credited with 'unprecedented success since its launch in February'.

The former WEW shops are in Carlisle, Dewsbury, Dunfermline, Edmonton, Green-ock, Kirkcaldy, Llanelli and Wigan, and up to 200 new jobs will be created. Bewise has promised to announce a further four locations, subject to negotiations with landlords.

Chairman and chief executive David Tucker, said: 'These stores are all in the top 25 performing units of the What Everyone Wants portfolio. The units all had good space and were in good positions.'