The Works
The Works is a UK-listed value retailer operating 500+ physical stores across the UK and Ireland, selling discounted books, art and craft supplies, toys, games and stationery to budget-conscious families seeking affordable screen-free entertainment through multi-buy promotions.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersColeshill, United Kingdom
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Works does
The Works Stores Ltd. is a UK-incorporated, London-listed (LON: WRKS) value retailer operating 500+ physical stores across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The company sells discounted books (including remaindered and closeout titles), art and craft supplies, toys and games, and stationery at low price points (from £1) supported by multi-buy promotions such as '2 for £12', '3 for £5' and '6 for £5'. Its assortment combines own-label brands (The Works Essentials, Crawford & Black, Make & Create) with licensed franchises (Disney, Harry Potter, Marvel, Bluey, Peppa Pig, Squishmallows) and third-party brands (Crayola, Liquitex, Staedtler). The business is positioned as an affordable provider of screen-free entertainment and educational products for value-conscious families.
The company's revenue model is overwhelmingly reliant on physical store sales, with over 90% of revenue generated through the store estate. In March 2026 The Works shut down its loss-making ecommerce operations, absorbing approximately £2m in exceptional closure costs, and converted its website into a non-transactional browsing platform that directs customers to physical locations. Distribution spans high street sites, shopping centres, outlet stores, and garden centre concessions across major UK cities and Irish locations including Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Kilkenny. Marketing relies on in-store multi-buy promotions, email newsletters and social media engagement using the #TimeWellSpent hashtag.
For the year ending May 3, 2026, total revenues rose 3.2% to approximately £260m, like-for-like sales grew 3.3%, and pre-IFRS 16 adjusted EBITDA more than doubled to about £14m from £9.5m. The company is pursuing an 'Elevating The Works' growth plan that adds 15 new stores over FY26-FY27, while FY27 EBITDA guidance has been raised from £12.7m to £15.0m. The Works holds UK and Ireland WEEE and Battery Producer Compliance registrations (WEE/MM6433AA, BPRN11116, IE 03713WB) and is headquartered in Coleshill, UK.
The Works firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Works
- Legal name
- The Works Stores Ltd.
- Website
- https://theworks.co.uk
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- The Works is a UK-listed value retailer operating 500+ physical stores across the UK and Ireland, selling discounted books, art and craft supplies, toys, games and stationery to budget-conscious families seeking affordable screen-free entertainment through multi-buy promotions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Works industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Discount Retail
- NAICS
- Book Retailers and News Dealers (4592), Office Supplies and Stationery Retailers (45941), Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)
- SIC
- Retail-Variety Stores (5331), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Art & Drafting Supplies Retail (CRALABAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Building Sets & Construction Toys Retail (CRALAFAE), Calendars, Planners & Organization Supplies Retail (CRALABAJ)
Keywords
Where The Works is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Coleshill
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Works business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Physical Retail Sales: The Works generates revenue primarily through sales of books, art supplies, craft essentials, toys, games, stationery, and gifts from its 500+ physical stores across the UK and Ireland. The company operates on a traditional retail model with multi-buy promotions and value pricing. Over 90% of revenue comes from physical stores.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Value retail pricing with multi-buy promotions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
The Works product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Works is a UK and Ireland value retailer operating 500+ physical stores selling discounted books, art supplies, craft essentials, toys, games, stationery, and licensed-brand merchandise. The company operates an in-store only retail model after closing its loss-making e-commerce operations in March 2026, with a focus on multi-buy promotions and value pricing for families and budget-conscious consumers.
Product overview
The Works is a UK-based multi-channel value retailer offering a unified portfolio of books, art & craft supplies, toys & games, and stationery across 500+ physical stores. The product range includes core own-brand categories organized by department (Books, Art & Craft, Toys & Games, Stationery) supplemented by licensed brands (Harry Potter, Disney, Bluey, Squishmallows, Marvel, Peppa Pig, Toy Story) and third-party art supply brands (Crayola, Liquitex, Staedtler). The company operates as an in-store only retailer following the closure of its loss-making ecommerce operations in March 2026, refocusing on its physical store footprint with plans to open 15 new stores over two years. The offering emphasizes affordable, screen-free entertainment and creative activities for families.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Books A wide range of books for children and adults including Children's Books, Fiction, and Non-Fiction titles available in 500+ The Works stores across the UK and Ireland.
- Art & Craft Art supplies and craft essentials including canvases, sketch books, artist paint, art sets, craft kits, wooden crafts, paper crafts, diamond painting, knitting and crochet kits, and kids colouring supplies sold through The Works' 500+ physical stores.
- Toys & Games Toys and games including jigsaw puzzles, outdoor toys, educational toys, sensory toys, fidget toys, board games, card games, soft toys, and collectible figures sold in The Works' 500+ stores.
- Stationery Stationery products including pens and pencils, marker pens, colouring pencils, ballpoint pens, diaries and calendars, notepads, notebooks, office supplies, school essentials, party supplies, and home storage items available in The Works' physical stores.
Quantifiable outcome
- Like-for-like sales up 3.3% year to date
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Works
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Works technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Works partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Works competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Works social profiles
Digital presenceThe Works compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
The Works financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Works leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Works funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Works M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Works
What does The Works do?
The Works is a UK and Ireland value retailer operating 500+ physical stores selling discounted books, art supplies, craft essentials, toys, games, stationery, and licensed-brand merchandise. The company operates an in-store only retail model after closing its loss-making e-commerce operations in March 2026, with a focus on multi-buy promotions and value pricing for families and budget-conscious consumers.
Is The Works a public or private company?
The Works is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was The Works founded?
The Works was founded in 2008. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is The Works based?
The Works is headquartered in Coleshill, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Works make money?
One revenue line is on record: physical Retail Sales.
Does The Works have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Works.
What industry is The Works in?
The Works's product category is Discount Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALABAG, Art & Drafting Supplies Retail, with a secondary code of CRALAFAE, Building Sets & Construction Toys Retail. Its NAICS code is 4592 and its SIC code is 5331.