Virgin Mobile UK has hinted that it could begin opening more of its own-branded retail stores following the collapse of two of its largest UK high street distributors, Zavvi and Woolworths. “We have plans for more standalone stores,” a spokesman for the UK’s largest MVNO told Mobile Today. Zavvi, the entertainment retailer acquired from the Virgin Group in 2007 (and formerly known as Virgin Megastore), went into administration on 24 December and was a key retail channel for Virgin Mobile. Zavvi’s collapse followed the demise of Woolworths – another Virgin Mobile distributor – which closed its last store on 6 January. 

According to Mobile Today, the company currently has just 20 of its own shops and 83 branded concessions in Zavvi stores. It also has a presence via a further 4,000 retailers, including Carphone Warehouse, Phones 4u, Sainsbury’s, Asda and DSG. The MVNO has reportedly been reluctant to open its own stores, preferring mail and telesales. However, one source told the publication: “The high street is a place where leases are very cheap so it could be time to go back into direct retail.”