// Poundland to reopen a further 26 stores this week
// The retailer had reopened 51 stores last week
Poundland has announced it will reopen another 26 stores which have been closed since the government-mandated lockdown started on March 24.
The discount retailer said trade will resume in the stores again this week after 51 shops reopened last week.
Around 100 stores were temporarily shut in March, despite the retailer keeping most of its stores open for essential shopping.
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The closed shops were largely where there was another Poundland nearby or where shopping centres found it difficult to remain open, Poundland said.
“As an essential retailer, we’ve continued to support customers in hundreds of towns – especially those who manage their budgets week-to-week and find it difficult to bulk buy,” Poundland managing director Barry Williams said.
“And our store colleagues have done much more than their day job. They’ve also played a vital role, delivering care packages to other frontline workers and those in need in their communities.
“But even though we’ve kept serving customers, we know we’re at our best as part of a vibrant thriving high street and that’s why we’re looking forward to our neighbours reopening in the coming weeks.
“Healthy town centres are the lifeblood of our economy and our communities.
“It may have been tough for many retailers before this crisis and it’s more important than ever that we make sure we encourage customers to say hi to their high streets as we return to business-as-unusual.”
Poundland said it was working closely with shopping centre landlords to reopen the last of its closed stores as soon as possible.
The reopened stores will have “robust” health and safety measures in place.
The measures include door marshals, floor markers to help maintain social distancing, perspex screens at checkouts and no self-checkouts.
Poundland also said that staff will be expected to wash their hands every 20 minutes and key surfaces will be wiped down every hour.
The Poundland stores that will reopen are:
- Wick Retail Park
- Bedford
- Luton 133 The Mall
- Newport Spytty Retail Park
- Swansea Fforestfach Retail Park
- Bletchley Brunel Shopping Centre
- Christchurch
- Oswestry
- Hammersmith King Street
- Selly Oak Retail Park
- Crewe
- Pontefract
- Sutton Coldfield
- Chester Old Sealand Retail Park
- Yardley Swan Shopping Centre
- Rotherham Parkgate Retail Park
- York Monks Cross Retail Park
- Ilford The Mall
- King’s Lynn Vancouver Shopping Centre
- Carlisle Scotch Street
- Nottingham Chilwell Retail Park
- Gateshead Team Valley Retail Park
- Droylsden
- Barrow in Furness Hindpool Retail Park
- Ormskirk Two Saints Retail Park
- Whitehaven
Boris Johnson said on Monday evening that all non-essential retailers in England are due to reopen from June 15 as long as social distancing measures are implemented.
The openings would be “contingent on progress in the fight against coronavirus” and retailers would have to adhere to the new rules.
The PM added that new guidance has been published for the retail sector “detailing the measures they should take to meet the necessary social distancing and hygiene standards”.
“Shops now have the time to implement this guidance before they reopen,” he said.
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