Poundland To Temporary Close 44 stores

By Tony Winterburn • Published: 08 Jan 2021 • 19:09

Poundland To Temporary Close 44 stores. image: Wikipedia

Poundland To Temporary Close 44 stores Due To A Drop In Sales.

POUNDLAND will be placing 44 stores in ‘temporary hibernation’ amid a third national lockdown despite being allowed to trade as an essential retailer. The move comes in response to an 80 per cent drop in footfall in some shopping centres and high streets as the UK face stricter restrictions following a rapid rise in coronavirus cases in the UK.

The chain said outlets will be closing from Saturday, January 9 but stressed the majority of its 800+ stores will remain open for business to serve their communities. In the first 2020 lockdown, Poundland closed around 120 stores in March 2020 and was able to start reopening them from the end of May. The move allows it to focus colleagues in a slightly smaller number of locations and provide better service to communities in consolidated stores.

As before, the move was to protect the business in the short-term and help position it well for the UK’s recovery from the pandemic, Poundland said. “Where appropriate”, affected staff would be furloughed, it added.

“We learned valuable lessons during the lockdown in March about how buying patterns change as people stick to government advice to stay at home,” said Poundland retail and transformation director Austin Cooke. “Putting a small number of stores into hibernation helps protect them for the long term and focus our attention on the majority of stores that remain open to serve their neighbourhoods.

“We hope this lockdown is short and we can reopen our hibernating stores as quickly as possible and we remain grateful for the vital support schemes available to us that help protect jobs.”

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