In article , Andy Hall wrote:
On 2007-06-19 11:07:46 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
said:

In article ,
Andy Hall wrote:
Wickes is now owned by Travis Perkins, although it's demise would be no
great loss.

I don't agree. In many places it's the only competition to the
B&Q/Homebase duopoly (sp?). Round my way those two compete on prices only
where they are close together. Which with Homebase means different prices
for the same article at different stores. For basic stuff Wicks is often
the cheapest.

Builders merchants?

You have to be prepared to haggle though.....

Hassle, takes longer than nipping into wickes, I've never been all that lucky
getting the builders merchants to get as cheap as wickes (maybe I've not
been after the correct stuff).

Also, builders merchants are not open evenings or Sundays which are the
most convenient time for me and they also don't tend to have big displays
of things (handy for the "I want a thingy wotsit" type shopping trip).

I like wickes. Down here in Folkestone the other options are Homebase
(expensive and full of crap wicker furniture and lawnmowers) or the new
B&Q which for the few things I've looked in there for have been expensive -
it's not a warehouse one :-(

Darren