Inside first new-look The Range store with Homebase garden centre and amazing paint feature shoppers will love

THE Range has opened the first of its new-look stores after taking them on from collapsed Homebase.

CDS Superstores, trading as The Range, Wilko and Homebase, is opening up to 70 of the hybrid branches combining The Range and Homebase brands.

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Three sites opened to the public today, including one in Christchurch, Bournemouth.

Shoppers rushing inside could find homeware, furnishings and a “Garden Centres by Homebase” area selling plants and tools.

The store also features a click and collect area where shoppers can pick up items bought on the Homebase or The Range websites.

Local councillor Paul Alan Hilliard was on hand at the start of the day to cut the ribbon on the new branch and welcome customers in.

Alex Simpkin, chief executive officer of CDS Superstores, said: “We’re thrilled to open our doors in Christchurch, Birmingham and Glasgow today, and introduce our customers to the new The Range superstore experience.

“The exciting addition of the ‘Garden Centre by Homebase’ to this format continues to represent our ongoing commitment to providing everything from homeware to outdoor living under one roof.”

Homebase fell into administration last November, with CDS Superstores stepping in to rescue up to 70 stores through a pre-pack administration deal.

CDS is yet to confirm the full list of former Homebase stores it is rebranding.

However, it is understood the retailer wants to open 50 of the hybrid shops by the end of April, with potentially more opening after this.

CDS said it is hoping to open three branches each week, with the opening dates for nine already having been revealed.

This includes three opening today in Bournemouth, Glasgow and Birmingham.

Three more in Newton Abbot, Felixstowe and Blyth are opening on January 24 while three others in Leicester, Stroud and Blandford are expected to open on January 31.

The branches will feature The Range and Homebase-branded products.

Some will have Homebase-themed garden centres in them while others will feature Dulux paint mixing machines and colour walls.

We have asked The Range if the Bournemouth branch has one of these areas and will update this story when we have heard back.

While CDS has said it will take on up to 70 former Homebase branches, it still means around 74 are at risk of closure unless a buyer steps in.

A deadline was set of November 29 for potential buyers to acquire the 74 sites but it’s still unclear whether any of them have been saved.

Homebase previously confirmed six sites would closed before the end of 2024, including Sutton Coldfield, Bromsgrove, Cromer, Fareham, Newark and Rugby.

Two others in Wales recently launched closing down sales.

Three more Homebase sites in Derry, Inverurie, and Omagh are also set to close in the coming months, along with a branch in Glenrothes near Fife.

DIY chain rival B&Q has also stepped in to buy eight former Homebase stores across the UK and Republic of Ireland (ROI).

Five are based in the UK while the other three are based in the ROI.

What is happening to the Homebase stores not at risk?

The CDS buyout saved approximately 1,600 jobs and up to 70 sites.

Once they are transferred to CDS they will “quickly” re-open as The Range superstores.

CDS Superstores also previously acquired the Wilko name and intellectual property after the latter collapsed into administration last year.

Homebase’s collapse comes after Hilco Capital, which owns the retailer, put the company up for sale in July last year.

Last August, supermarket giant Sainsbury’s agreed to buy 10 Homebase stores.

Once all stores are closed, Sainsbury’s will convert the units into new supermarkets.

The acquisition of the stores and refit programme to follow is expected to cost Sainsbury’s £130million.

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