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In 1947, as the country lay in the grip of austerity measures and rationing, Wilky Wilkinson, our late founder, recognised that there would be great demand for home improvements. He and his wife-to-be, Hilda, opened a shop in Farnborough selling decorating and second-hand building materials. This led eventually to the DIY revolution and the much-copied DIY superstore concept.

In the early 80s Wilky launched a specialist bathroom merchant business, having taken over an established Guildford retailer. This is now the region's largest bathroom showroom, with over 100 displays.

The need to create this facility set the Group on the path to becoming a developer in its own right. Today, our development record spans 35 years and some 75 projects, ranging in value from £2m - £200m.

The Group retained some of the properties it developed as investments. This portfolio now also includes several listed buildings

 

that we operate as business centres, providing offices on flexible terms for small businesses.

In 2004, the Group decided to focus on its property interests. A management buy out of its steel stockholding division was followed in 2007 by another MBO of Wilky Foundations Systems Ltd, now re-named Neil Foundations Ltd. Later in 2007 the contract sales business of Wilky Bathrooms was sold to another privately-owned group.

 

Wilky Wilkinson

Wilky Wilkinson
Founder of the
Wilky Group

   Neil Foundations Systems