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 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. 

In the majority of locations where Poundland is hibernating, there is another store that remains open nearby.  

Where appropriate, colleagues in hibernating stores will be placed on furlough in an effort to protect those roles for the future.

Austin Cooke, Poundland’s retail director said: “We learned valuable lessons during the lockdown in March about how buying patterns change as people stick to government advice to stay at home.

“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 re-open our hibernating stores as quickly as possible and we remain grateful for the vital support schemes available to us that help protect jobs.”

What stores will be closing?

  1. Newark, St Marks Place
  2. Londonderry Ferryquay Street NI
  3. Grantham, Isaac Newton Centre,
  4. Kingston upon Thames Eden Walk
  5. Mansfield Four Seasons SC
  6. Harlow Harvey SC
  7. Lowestoft Britten SC
  8. Colchester Culver Street
  9. Ipswich Sailmakers SC
  10. Ayr High Street
  11. Norwich Castle Mall
  12. Workington Campbell-Savours Way
  13. Newmarket, The Guineas SC
  14. Carlisle Scotch Street
  15. Luton 31 The Mall SC
  16. Dumfries, Loreburne SC
  17. Belfast Castlecourt SC NI
  18. Glasgow Union Street
  19. Newry Buttercrane SC NI
  20. Falkirk Howgate SC
  21. Enniskillen Erneside SC NI
  22. Edinburgh Princes Street
  23. Newry Quays SC NI
  24. Perth St Johns SC
  25. Inverness High Street
  26. Cardiff 121 Queens Street
  27. Kirkcaldy Mercat SC
  28. Bridgwater Angel Place SC
  29. Cramlington Manor Walks SC
  30. Burnley 82 Charter Walk SC
  31. Middlesbrough Captain Cook Square SC
  32. Preston Fishergate Centre
  33. Durham Riverwalk SC
  34. Rochdale Exchange SC
  35. Beverley Flemingate SC
  36. Chester Frodsham Street
  37. Farnham The Borough
  38. Bootle Strand SC
  39. Fareham Market Quay
  40. Solihull High Street
  41. Fareham Whiteley SC
  42. Newcastle under Lyme Castle Walk
  43. Crewe Market St
  44. Merry Hill SC