Discount chain Poundland has confirmed a further wave of store closures, with 14 more shops set to shut their doors for good by early February. The announcement marks another significant step in the retailer's extensive restructuring programme.
Winter Wave of Closures and Clearance Sales
The latest round of closures, announced on Friday, December 5, comes on top of 18 other locations already scheduled to shut in the coming months. This brings the total number of shops earmarked for closure to over 100 since the restructuring began. The affected stores have now launched closing-down clearance sales, slashing prices by up to 40% on a wide range of stock including homeware, groceries, clothing, and beauty products.
Darren MacDonald, Poundland's UK country manager, addressed the impact on local communities. "We know how disappointing it is when we leave a store," he said. "But before we close our doors for a final time, we're determined to say goodbye by offering even more amazing value to customers." He added that the special reductions would help the company leave locations with pride and reminded shoppers they could visit any of the hundreds of other Poundland stores remaining across the UK.
Restructuring and a Return to Simpler Pricing
The closures are a central part of a major overhaul designed to secure the future of the business. Poundland was sold for just £1 to investment firm Gordon Brothers in June and narrowly avoided administration in August after a High Court-approved restructuring plan.
Since then, the recovery strategy has focused on streamlining operations. This involves not only reducing its physical footprint but also simplifying its pricing model. The retailer is now reverting to a straightforward £1, £2, and £3 price point for groceries across all its UK shops, with around 60% of grocery items priced at £1. This simplified pricing is also being rolled out across its general merchandise and clothing ranges.
By the end of the restructuring, the company anticipates its UK estate will have shrunk from approximately 800 stores to between 650 and 700.
Full List of Latest and Previously Announced Closures
The 14 newly announced stores closing, along with their closure dates, are:
- Lancaster, Lancashire – December 19
- Northampton Sixfields, Northamptonshire – December 31
- Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset – December 24
- Hammersmith, Greater London – December 24
- Prestatyn, Denbighshire – December 31
- Faversham, Kent – January 6
- Liverpool, Merseyside – January 15
- Yeovil, Somerset – January 16
- Nottingham Eastpoint, Nottinghamshire – January 22
- Lymington, Hampshire – January 23
- Christchurch (47 High Street), Dorset – January 23
- Bristol Avon Meads, Bristol – January 29
- Winton, Dorset – February 6
- Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland – February 8
These are in addition to stores previously announced for closure, including branches in Christchurch (Meteor Retail Park), Arnold, Worthing, Brighton, and several in London such as Ponders End and Mitcham.
