Poundland issues update after opening 87 new UK stores in 70 days

13 December 2023 , 10:59

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Poundland has opened 87 new stores in 70 days (Image: Maureen McLean/REX/Shutterstock)

Poundland says it has completed its new store and relocation programme for the final three months of this year.

The budget retailer says it has opened 87 stores in 70 days, from September 30 to December 9. This includes ten stores opening their doors for the first time last week on what has been dubbed “Super Saturday”.

Poundland has now reopened 64 former Wilko stores, after it took on the leases of dozens of sites when Wilko collapsed into administration. This has included the recruitment of 962 former Wilko colleagues.

Poundland expects to open more new stores in former Wilko units, moving “well beyond” the 71 leases it originally planned to take on. In addition to the former Wilko locations, Poundland has also opened new stores in flagship locations such as Birmingham Fort and Watford where it has begun trading from a former John Lewis store.

All new Poundland stores feature Pepco family clothing. Poundland has also added chilled and frozen food to 18 former Wilko stores in Barnsley (Wombwell), Brentwood, Barking, Scunthorpe Broadway, Sale, Thornaby, Hitchin, Bishop Stortford, South Shields, Nelson, Melton Mowbray, Worcester, Seaham, Maidenhead, West Ealing, Brigg, Peterborough and Leicester.

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Over the last two months, Poundland has also recruited 1,200 temporary colleagues to work in stores across the UK and Ireland in the run-up to Christmas. While the majority of these shop floor roles will end on Christmas Eve, some will also be extended until early January.

Simon Wells, people director at Poundland said: “I really want to thank the Poundland team for their extraordinary efforts in making so many roles available, so quickly, to those affected by the administration of Wilko. We know by keeping our promise to re-open former Wilko stores in such numbers, and at such pace, we’ve made a big difference to hundreds of people. We’re incredibly proud that so many former Wilko team members have now chosen to continue their careers here at Poundland.”

Wilko stores that have reopened as Poundland

Saturday, September 30

• Stafford
• Nelson
• Stockport
• Eccles
• Southport
• Leigh
• Barking
• Maidenhead
• Jarrow
• Scunthorpe

Saturday, October 7

• Melton Mowbray
• Matlock
• Chepstow
• Nottingham
• Worcester
• Ellesmere Port
• Brigg
• Redruth
• Ferndown
• Pontypool

Saturday, October 14

• Ripley
• Bolton
• Gateshead
• Bicester
• Peterborough
• Sheffield Hillsborough
• Cramlington
• Rugeley

Saturday, October 21

• Brentwood
• Altrincham
• Worksop
• West Ealing
• Wembley
• Sale
• Seaham
• Selly Oak
• Bishops Stortford

Saturday, October 28

• Ammanford
• Alfreton
• Thornaby
• South Shields
• Newcastle-upon-Tyne (Killingworth)
• Shrewsbury
• Droitwich
• Redhill
• Leicester
• Hitchen

Saturday, November 4

• Alnwick
• Headingley
• Grimsby
• Hull
• Lichfield
• Wombwell
• Edmonton Green
• Greenock
• Peterlee

Saturday, November 25

• Stevenage
• Camberley
• Barnstable
• Long Eaton
• Retford

Saturday, December 9

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• Chester
• Swindon
• Fareham

Additionally, as part of its "organic store opening programme" Poundland has opened a destination store at Birmingham Fort in a former Wilko unit.

Levi Winchester