Wesfarmers rolls out first U.K. Bunnings pilot

LONDON — Wesfarmers’ first U.K. store under the Bunnings banner is set for a soft launch this weekend. The St Albans, Hertfordshire, store is opening a year after the banners entry into the U.K. and Ireland, the Australian Financial Review reports. According Richard Goyder, Wesfarmers’ managing director, the pilot store “looks terrific”, but further conversions of Homebase stores to Bunnings will keep pace with consumer testing. The company wants to avoid the fate of Masters Home Improvement, Lowe’s failed joint venture with Woolworths in Australia. The new European stores are smaller in format than Bunnings’ Australian warehouses.