// Poundland to open eight new stores in one day to offer customers more choice
// The stores range from 3,800sq ft, serving their local neighbourhoods, to 18,000sq ft supersize stores
Poundland is set to open eight new stores as well as relocate and extend others in a “Super Saturday” of openings ahead of Christmas.
The investment in new and enlarged stores will take place in the UK’s town centres and retail parks.
The discount retailer is hiring more than 200 colleagues, including creating around 160 new roles.
Subscribe to Retail Gazette for free
Sign up here to get the latest news straight into your inbox each morning
The stores range from 3,800sq ft, serving their local neighbourhoods, to 18,000sq ft supersize stores offering huge ranges including dedicated PEP&CO clothing and homeware departments.
In total, the new stores will have almost 100,000 sq ft of space.
Poundland said it is preparing to get the stores ready for “Super Saturday” on 10 December.
This includes extending and creating a supersize store at Crown Point Shopping Park, Denton, Greater Manchester, with 18,342sq ft of space over two floors, with 55 colleagues, including 20 new recruits.
It will relocate its store at Brotherhood Retail Park, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, into the former Outfit and H&M units, to create a supersize store with 18,000sq ft of space, with 40 colleagues including 28 new recruits.
It will relocate its store on 55 Moyston Street, Llandudno, North Wales, into the former M&S with 15,000sq ft of space across two floors, employing 30 colleagues including 20 new recruits.
It will open a new store at 12 Rainham Shopping Centre, Rainham, Kent, in a former Iceland, with 3,800sq ft and employing 16 colleagues.
A new store will open at Greenbridge Retail Park, Swindon, Wiltshire, in a former Argos, with almost 7,000sq ft and employing 15 colleagues.
A new store will open at Aylesbury Shopping Park, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, in a former Argos, with more than 14,000-plus sq ft, employing 15 colleagues.
It will open a new store at 11 Unity Walk, Tipton, West Midlands, in a former Co-op, with 8,000sq ft, employing 16 colleagues.
Another new store will open at Rushmere Retail Park, Craigavon, Northern Ireland, in a former Menary’s, with 14,500sq ft over two floors and employing 32 colleagues.
All the stores will offer a wide selection of everyday essentials such as groceries, drinks and snacks, as well as revamped health and beauty, entertainment, stationery and craft ranges.
There will also be wider ranges of chilled and frozen food and PEP&CO clothing and homewares, with the larger stores providing the choice and shopping experience customers would expect from the big grocers.
“This investment in towns and cities up and down the country shows our commitment to bringing shoppers more choice and amazing value just when they need it the most,” Poundland chief operating officer, Austin Cooke said.
“Whether it’s daily essentials at a neighbourhood store or choosing from our PEP&CO seasonal clothing range to make Christmas extra special this year, we’re there to help our customers find ways to cope with the pressures on their budgets.”
Poundland said opening eight stores in one day has required a massive effort by Poundland’s retail and property teams to carry out the necessary building and refitting work ready for shelf stocking, with the support of contractors, property agents and local councils.
Poundland director of property portfolio, Ben Wall said: “It’s been a tremendous task to get these stores ready to open in time for Christmas and it’s a reflection of the dedication and hard work of all the teams involved at Poundland.
“We also owe a big thank you to the contractors who’ve worked tirelessly to help us get the stores ready and to the property agents who’ve been busy behind the scenes to keep the timetable on track.”
