Poundland to open 26 more stores this week

Poundland has said another 26 of its stores which have been closed throughout the coronavirus outbreak are throwing open their doors again.

The discount retailer said trade will resume in the stores again this week after 51 shops reopened last week.

Poundland said that while it had kept most of its stores open for essential shopping, around 100 were temporarily shut in March.

The closed shops were largely where there was another Poundland nearby or where shopping centres found it difficult to remain open, it added.

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Managing director Barry Williams 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.

“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 like all the stores that have remained open, it added.

These 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